Evanescent Memory
by Dragon Fire10
Summary: HBP spoilers! She stood there. In one hand the unexplained picture, in the other the letter Dumbledore left...the letter that lead her to the cabin and the mirror...
1. Welcome Home

Disclaimer: Not mine as you know.

A/N: I will be finishing In the Rain, but thought I would give y'all a taste of my new one! Please review so I know if its even worth it to continue.

**Chapter 1**

_Welcome Back_

_Breathe, trust, bless me and release,  
Climb, hard or never be seen.  
Closed off, rescue to breathe.  
Just bless me._

Two sided time,  
Your rebirth can't hurt,  
Branch out behind, the pain.

Closure has come to me myself,  
You will never belong to me.  
Closure has come to me myself,  
You will never belong to me.

_--Chevelle_

He was weak. The prison was nothing more than a black hole stinking of death and desolation. He sat in his darkened cell, hair falling in front of his face, and listening. He waited for them to rescue him from this hell.

And he waited.

And he waited.

Every happy thought drained from him leaving him to wallow in his own dark thoughts—to hear the screaming over and over again in his own mind. His mind had become his prison, trapping him in his own horrifying memories.

Time ceased to exist.

He never heard them coming when they grabbed him from his cell. He was too weak to fight, wondering if he was to be executed. He stumbled as his captors rushed him out of the prison to an old dead oak tree. He could not see them, but he knew who they were. He knew the minute he heard that maniacal laughter when he stumbled again.

He remembered hands holding him as they apparated. The temperature seemed to shift when they arrived at their destination, but only a tad. He felt the cold hands on his arms throw him to the ground and his wand tossed down in front of him. His reality still seemed a dark blur.

"The Dark Lord is not happy with you, Lucius."

Bellatrix was standing in front of the fallen Malfoy watching him attempt to get up off the ground. She laughed as he collapsed again.

"And now, Draco has disappointed him terribly. Lucky for you the Dark Lord does not deem you important enough to be killed by his hand. Lucky for me I get to do it!"

Lucius was still attempting to clear his mind and rise from the dirt when the curses started.

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Platform 9 ¾ looked abandoned in comparison to past years. The platform did not have the usual happy chattering and smiles as parents hugged children wishing them well and friends reunited. Instead, there were scatters of parents with concern clear on their faces as they hugged their children as if it would be the last. Students arrived on the train alone, knowing their friends were not returning to Hogwarts. Hermione hugged Mr. and Mrs. Weasley goodbye and followed Ron and Harry onto the train.

There would not be a problem finding a compartment, they knew that. Hermione stopped and smiled sympathetically to Harry.

"Ron and I have to go to the prefects' compartment, Harry."

Harry smiled slightly back at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's alright. I'll see you when you are done."

Ron followed Hermione down the corridor, turning to look back at Harry.

"Hopefully we won't be long, mate."

Harry nodded and watched his two best friends disappear.

Before entering the compartment, Hermione looked down at herself, straightening her Head Girl pin and brushing off her robes. Ron chuckled lightly. Some things never changed. Ron stopped right inside the compartment causing Hermione to walk around him in order to get in.

"Ron," she said exasperated. Ron looked angry. His lips were pursed together as if straining against his desire to say something. The tips of his ears were slightly red. Hermione followed his glare. Malfoy sat there with his Head Boy pin shining brightly, looking as if he owned the place. Hermione sighed, realizing she should have warned Ron, but more pressing matters had caused her to forget.

"Just sit down Ron," she whispered.

As Hermione approached Malfoy, so they could start the meeting she saw him looking at her in disgust as usual. _Some things never change. _ Shaking her head at her own thoughts, she turned to face all the prefects with Malfoy. Most of the prefects were new because previous ones were not returning. That meant the meeting would go a bit longer than usual. And it did.

The worst part of the meeting was not Malfoy; it was the looks of pity from her classmates. She hated it. The emotional wounds from her parents' death were still fresh and their looks, not of empathy, but of pity suffocated her. It was as if they were scrutinizing her every move watching for the infamous Hermione Granger to finally crack. She would not give them the satisfaction.

When the meeting was over Hermione and Ron both left in order to find Harry. Malfoy stayed behind in the compartment for a moment. Hermione and Ron were walking down the corridor in silence peeking in compartments looking for Harry. Malfoy suddenly swept up the corridor and shoved his way in between the two.

"Out of my way Mudblood, Weasel."

Hermione saw Ron's fist clench around his wand. When he took a step forward as if going for Malfoy, Hermione grabbed his arm.

"No Ron, ignore him."

Ron's ears were still bright red in anger when they found Harry in a compartment with Luna and Neville. The compartment was silent when they walked in. Harry sat staring out at the landscape passing, Neville was looking through a new Herbology book, and Luna had her face hidden by the Quibbler. Harry looked up when they entered.

"Malfoy is Head Boy," Ron told him, his voice laced with anger.

Harry's eyes grew twice their size. Neville looked up from his book with utter terror on his face and Luna peeked around her magazine before plunging back into what she was reading.

"But I thought he declined his position as prefect," Harry asked.

Hermione nodded her head.

"He did _last_ year, but do you honestly think he would decline the position of Head Boy?"

Harry nodded as if to say, "I see your point." When Hermione sat down across from Luna she looked up to say hello to the strange girl, but instead was faced with a sneering Lucius Malfoy. Above the picture of Lucius, were the words: Escape or Attack of the Hingledings? Hermione found herself laughing uncontrollably causing everyone to look at her.

Luna slowly lowered the magazine to see what was so funny.

"Could I see that," Hermione asked between gasps of air. Luna handed her the Quibbler and Hermione held up the cover for Harry, Ron, and Neville to see.

"Hingledings _do not_ exist," Hermione stated matter-of-factly. Luna reached over and snatched the magazine from Hermione's hands.

"Yes, they do exist," Luna stated. She hid behind the magazine again ignoring the laughing still coming from Hermione.

As silence fell over the compartment, Harry handed Hermione the _Daily Prophet _he had in his hand. Unfolding it, she looked at the pictures on the front page. On one side was the picture of Lucius Malfoy when he went to Azkaban and on the other side was a picture of who Hermione recognized as Narcissa Malfoy. Harry watched Hermione's eyes dart across the page growing wider with each sentence.

"He escaped?"

She looked up at him, frightened it seemed. Harry nodded.

"You have to wonder if he didn't kill Narcissa himself."

Hermione crinkled her forehead and looked back down at the pictures.

"I don't think so, Harry."

Ron looked up and laughed.

"Hermione, you didn't think Harry was right about Malfoy taking his father's place as a Death Eater either!"

Hermione's eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. Why was Ron always acting like such a prat?

"As I recall, Ronald, you didn't believe it either."

Hermione stood and stormed out of the compartment, mumbling something about needing to do rounds. Luna peeked from behind her magazine at Ron. Her large protruding eyes looking him up and down.

"You know," she said "you really do not look happy together."

Luna went back to reading. Ron's mouth was partially open in shock and embarrassment as he turned to look at Harry. Harry knew Luna well enough to know that she did have a knack for stating blatantly honest thoughts without reserve on how it affected others. It could be quite uncomfortable. Harry simply shrugged at Ron, but deep down he shared Luna's thoughts.

Hermione stormed through the train corridor secretly hoping to find someone doing something wrong so she had someone else to be mad at for a change. There were times she really wondered why she bothered with Ron. As she stormed through the corridor, she noticed the bubblegum pink hair ahead and knew of only one person with that hair.

"Tonks," Hermione said as she approached the young woman. "What are you doing here?"

"Wotcher Hermione!" She hugged Hermione. "I was assigned to travel with the remaining students."

Hermione felt slightly safer knowing that aurors were still assigned to look after the school and its students.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Tonks pulled out three pieces of parchment. "McGonagall asked me to deliver these to you, Harry, and Ron."

Hermione looked at the parchments in her hand. Each one was sealed with red wax with an AD stamped in the center. Hermione looked up at Tonks. Immediately Tonks knew what was going through Hermione's mind. She blew a bubble with her gum and then sucked it back into her mouth causing another popping sound.

"Dumbledore had a vault at Gringotts that was to be open only upon his death. We found those three parchments in it."

Tonks shrugged and waved bye as she continued her own rounds of the train. Hermione looked back down at the parchments and ran back to the compartment.

When Hermione burst back into the compartment, Harry was watching the landscape again, Luna was still deep in her magazine, Ron was eating chocolate frogs and Neville was digging under his seat for his fallen wand.

She walked straight up to Harry and Ron and handed them their parchment.

"I saw Tonks and she had these for us."

She gave each boy a pointed look letting them know she could not really say anymore with Neville and Luna in the room. Harry looked down, noticing the seal, and Hermione saw his entire face light up in realization. She shrugged unsure as to what it was about. Hermione sat down and proceeded to open her parchment. A small necklace fell out. It was silver with a pendent of a snake wrapped around a phoenix. Holding the necklace in one hand, she read the parchment.

Miss Granger,

If you are reading this then the most unfortunate event has occurred and Lord Voldemort has not yet been defeated. I have no doubt that Harry will succeed, but I worry about everyone in the meantime, especially those who are muggleborn. Therefore, I have bequeathed a safe haven of sorts to you. This is a small cabin just outside the wards set around Hogwarts. If in danger you will be able to enter as once I die, it will only open its doors for you. Being outside the bounds of Hogwarts allows electrical items to work so anyone born in the muggle lifestyle would be comfortable. I know you will need this cabin, Miss Granger. When you arrive to explore this cabin, keep one thing in mind: sometimes people and things are not always who or what they seem. It is not only our experiences in life that shape us, but our choices. Sometimes we make the wrong choices, but that does not mean we cannot make the right one later in life.

Albus Dumbledore

Former Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

P. S. Turn the serpent three times and you will be on your way.

Hermione simply stared at the parchment taking in every word Dumbledore had written. Rolling the parchment up she put it safely in her bag and made a mental note to find this cabin. As the train carried them to Hogwarts, she could still see the words on the parchment in her mind and something nagged at the pit of her stomach. It seemed Dumbledore knew something of what was to come.

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He felt his body hit the hard ground. His eyes barely opened enough to see he was surrounded by trees. They were leaving him for dead. Leave it to Bellatrix to not use the killing curse, instead to torture to the brink of death and then abandon you to die slowly and alone.

A face floated into his mind…into his memory. A face he had not seen since his last year at Hogwarts…a face that disappeared from his life…a face that haunted him in his dreams and memories. She was an evanescent memory, but he could still see and hear her like it was only yesterday.

_He lifted her chin up to look at him. Tears streaked down her cheeks. She was his best friend while she was there it seemed and truthfully, there was so much more he felt for her. But she had kept her distance. He searched her eyes as he had done so many times before…searching for what she knew and was hiding._

"_I have to go," she whispered and reached up and hugged him tightly and turned to walk toward Dumbledore. _

_Curiosity overwhelmed him._

"_Will I see you again? Do we meet later on? You will never tell me the things I ask."_

_She turned around and smiled sadly._

"_Yes, Lucius, but you will be clouded by hate for who I am and what I am." She rushed back to him and he enveloped her in his arms. She whispered into his ear. "I only wish that the boy you are today could grow to become the man you are capable of being instead of the man you are." He felt her warm lips kiss his cold cheek. He watched her as she followed Dumbledore into the Great Hall and disappeared from his life._

Images of her face swam in his memory, as the world around him became a blackened empty space.


	2. Lucius

Disclaimer: We all know that none of this is mine.

A/N: I am currently working on the next chapter of In the Rain and the fourth chapter (yes the fourth) of this one….hehehe…I know what is going to happen…lol. Anyway…please review! Please?

**Chapter 2**

_Lucius_

_I'm_ _walking down the line  
That divides me somewhere in my mind  
On the border line  
Of the edge and where I walk alone_

_--Green Day_

Her dreams were the same terrible memory every night. Every night she was in her family home and her father was yelling for her to run so she did. She ran out her door and into the wooded area across the street. She could hear her parents screaming and she could see the Dark Mark floating above her house. The brush beat upon her face as she ran, tears streaking her face, heart beating at an abnormally fast rate. She heard the cackling laughter and the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange travel through the trees.

"Where is the wittle girl wunning to?"

Hermione tried to will her legs to go faster, but they would not. Her mind and body were not working together it seemed and she tripped over a tree root. The last thing she remembered was a tall dark Death Eater picking her up off the ground.

Hermione sat up in bed panting slightly to catch her breath. That dream tormented her nightly ever since she woke up after the events in Grimmauld Place. She had no recollection as to how she got there. Every morning she pondered who this Death Eater was that obviously caused her no harm, but took her to safety. There seemed to be no possibilities.

It was the first day of classes and she was anxious to begin. Hopping out of bed, she had no doubt that Harry and Ron were waiting for her in the common room. She was not disappointed. When she walked down the stairs Harry and Ron both stood up looking eager, but not for classes—for food.

As the trio walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast, Hermione noticed Harry's hand in his pocket. She could see movement, as if he were fiddling with something. She knew what it was. The look of betrayal and grief said it all. Inside his pocket, he kept the locket him and Dumbledore found—the wrong locket. Hermione felt the melancholy washing over her again making her want to run to her room and hide under the covers. There had been so much loss in so few months.

When they reached the Great Hall they were greeted by McGonagall. She stopped all three of them and looked at Hermione. McGonagall maintained her stern demeanor. Hermione looked up into her Headmistress' face. McGonagall could see the lost haunted look beginning to cast shadows upon her face.

"Miss Granger, a word."

McGonagall walked passed them expecting Hermione to follow. Waving Harry and Ron on, she followed the Headmistress to an empty classroom.

"Your time turner," McGonagall said once they were inside the classroom. Hermione reached out and took the time turner from McGonagall's hand and placed it around her neck.

"Please do not be foolish with this. If this privilege is abused I will force you to drop a class."

Hermione nodded her head and said, "Yes ma'am."

When McGonagall dismissed her, Hermione ran back to the Great Hall and joined Ron and Harry.

"What did McGonagall want," Harry asked.

She held up the time turner to show him.

"You're not taking _all _the classes again are you," Ron asked with large round eyes.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the red head. She was growing more and more irritated with his lack of common sense sometimes.

"No, Ron. I already told you two of my classes are at the same time and I will be using it only for that one class."

Ron still could not comprehend not dropping one of the classes. This was Hermione though, and he seemed rarely to understand her. Shaking his head, Ron continued stuffing his mouth. Hermione propped a book up and began reading while she attempted to eat. She read more than she ate, however. Food held no real enjoyment anymore.

The day was long for Hermione and the pitying looks from her classmates did not help her any. By the end of the week, she was snapping heads off. Ron and Harry both were steering clear of her by Friday.

Ron sat in the common room scowling at his paper.

"What is it," Harry asked, noticing his friend's face.

"What is with Hermione? She has been worse than usual lately."

Harry had a feeling he knew why, but was it really his place to tell Ron? Shouldn't Ron be able to figure out his own girlfriend? Harry understood because he noticed the looks she received—they were the same looks he often received. Pity. He hated it and knew Hermione could not like it either.

Another week passed by.

Hermione was skipping several meals a week and was found in the library more often than usual. It was on Saturday that Hermione remembered. She sat in the back corner of the library studying. She wanted to escape all the people who seemed to just watch her and Ron's obtuse attitude toward her behavior. She reached for a book on her table and it fell just out of reach. She leaned down to pick it up and saw it. Her time turner fell out from under her shirt along with the pendent Dumbledore left her.

_The cabin._

With a new burst of energy, she quickly packed her books, rushed out the library door, and headed out to the grounds. Not many people appeared to be outside. It was cloudy and everyone could see that it was going to rain; it was only a matter of time. The skies darkened slightly as she ran up under a tree near the lake, hoping it would conceal whatever happened when she followed the instructions on the parchment.

_Turn the serpent three times._

With a shaky hand, she held the pendent in her hand and slowly turned the serpent around the phoenix. On the third turn she felt something very much like a portkey—a strange pulling at her bellybutton. She closed her eyes as she yelped out in surprise. Not exactly what she was expecting. She felt the air around her change slightly. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings. She stood on a curving path in the forbidden forest. Looking straight ahead, she saw the path lead to a charming little cabin hidden by trees.

_That must be it._

She began her small walk toward the cabin when she came across it. She didn't notice it upon her initial arrival. Only a few feet from where she landed on the path, an arm stuck out onto the path. She froze upon seeing the pale bloodied hand and the nightmare reality of the night her parents were murdered flashed through her head. For a moment she was running through the woods again it seemed.

Shaking herself from her train of thought, she knelt down to see who it was and if they were okay.

"Are you okay?"

She tugged slightly at his arm, but only a painful moan came from this…man. Leaning over him, she grew concerned. She could not see his face because his hair draped over it, hiding who he was. She could tell he was very weak, possibly on the brink of death. Hermione looked around, paranoid that what or whoever did this to him was still around. Gently she moved the hair from his face and found herself staring into the face of the last person she expected.

He heard her footsteps when they approached and heard the concern in her voice when she asked if he was okay. For a moment, this overwhelming warmth came over him giving him the sense of being home. It was her voice…then she touched him. He felt her fingers slightly caress his face as she moved the hair from it and he saw her face…the face from his memories. It was as if she had not aged a day. She was his angel, looking down on him with concern and then…shock?

Hermione was unsure what to think. Lucius Malfoy was obviously seriously injured. She contemplated leaving him there to die, but thought better of it. That would not make her any better than him. She stood up and looked down at him. Hermione wondered if he was one of the Death Eaters that attacked her home…that killed her parents. But he could not be; he was still in Azkaban then. And how did he get out of Azkaban and why? He moaned and appeared to be reaching for her, but not in such a threatening way.

Cursing her own compassion, Hermione knelt back down and pulled out her wand.

"I am going to levitate you to the cabin. I don't know why I am doing this, but I am."

Before she could stand to cast the spell, Lucius reached out and grabbed her wrist, albeit weakly, but he grabbed it nonetheless. His eyes slowly searched her eyes causing her to squirm uncomfortably. His voice was a horse whisper when he spoke.

"You came back."


	3. Past and Present

Disclaimer: As we all know, I am not JKR which means I do not own any of this.

A/N: Please review! You people are Wonderful!

**Chapter 3**

_Past and Present_

_And_ _I'm haunted by your face  
And the memory of your kisses  
Sweet kisses  
Do you remember?  
I still remember so much  
I remember never feeling so alive  
Do you remember?  
I still can't forget your touch  
We swore that we would never end  
We knew our love transcend space and time_

_--Stabbing Westward_

Hermione clicked her tongue in exasperation. Obviously, Malfoy had been out in the elements too long and was delusional. What exactly did he mean by 'you came back?' She just got there. As she levitated him, she looked around. She was in the middle of the forbidden forest, where was she supposed to take him? Her eyes fell upon the quaint little cabin. Sighing, she realized there was nowhere else.

She paused just outside the cabin door, unsure of how the door would open. Dumbledore's letter did say it would open only for her. Tentatively she reached out her hand. The knob began to glow a deep green before it succumbed to Hermione's pressure on it and turned opening up the cabin to her.

Stepping inside, the first thing she did was look around for somewhere to lay Malfoy down. It wasn't an overly large cabin. Standing in what appeared to be the living area she noticed something behind the stairs that led up to a loft above. Peering around it, she discovered it to be a bed.

_Perfect._

Gently, she levitated Lucius over to it and slowly sat him down on the bed. Biting her bottom lip, she looked around. What to do? The kitchen was across from the bed and the living area had several bookshelves that reached the ceiling. Her eyes fell on the injured man lying in the bed. Did he even escape Azkaban? He looked as if he were incapable of doing such a thing in his condition. Pointing her wand at him, she made a very intricate wand movement.

A couple minutes later, Hermione had an assessment as to what was wrong with Lucius. She could only conclude one thing from his injuries and it was a realization that left her in a disconcert state. Lucius Malfoy had been tortured to the brink of death. She could think of only one person who would do this, but she had to know. She had to be sure. Lucius moaned again. Cautiously Hermione approached the bed.

"M..Mister Malfoy, who did this to you?"

Time seemed to overlap time for Lucius as he barely opened up his eyes to see her face. It was as if he was seventeen again and his angel was looking down on him. When she asked who did this to him his immediate response was to tell her.

"Bellatrix," he barely got out.

Her face changed. It became angry and drawn. A fire erupted in her eyes as she flew from the bedside into the bathroom. In the distance, he could hear the clanging of phials and the occasional "bloody hell" from the bathroom. Slowly the sounds faded into nothingness.

Hermione's hands shook as she frantically searched the bathroom for any potions to help her care for Lucius' injuries. True, he was no friend, but the fact of the matter was that she hated Bellatrix more. At that moment there was only one thing on Hermione's mind—saving Lucius Malfoy so one day she could laugh in the face of Bellatrix Lestrange at preventing the Death Eater's desired outcome of her tortures. She would not allow that woman to take another life if she could do something about it.

It quickly became obvious to Hermione that she would need to brew a few potions. Grabbing what she had found, she headed back toward the bed. Rechecking the bottles, she realized that it wasn't much, but they would help. She looked down at Malfoy helplessly. The sun was starting to set causing a strange orange glow to flow through the front windows. Resigning herself to what she had to do, Hermione sat on the bed next to Lucius. Reaching over in front of him, she slipped her hand behind his head and slightly lifted it up. She slowly poured one potion down his throat and then another.

The potions were not a cure, but a start. He would still be weak she knew. His eyes started to feebly flutter open. His eyes stopped her movements. Still hovering over him, she felt trapped. His eyes, normally cold and demanding, held something different…something warm.

_He thinks you are someone else._

Hermione moved to get up, but Lucius stopped her. He grabbed her arm with more strength than what she would have thought he had and pulled her backward to the bed. His arms wrapped around from behind her giving Hermione no option but to remain there. She tried to get out of his grip but he wouldn't let go, forcing her down next to him. She felt the tears sting her eyes as she realized he still didn't have his strength back and how much danger would she be in when he did. He wouldn't let go.

"Don't leave me like that again."

Hermione felt her lip tremble.

"Please, Mister Malfoy. Let me go. Please."

He didn't let go. Hermione lay next to Lucius in the darkening cabin with tears slowly falling from her eyes. His arms were tight around her as if he were afraid to let go. He held her close as if it were perfectly normal. She felt his chest rise and fall with each breath. Looking down she could see Lucius' fingers entangled in her own and held against her chest.

It was almost an hour later that Lucius Malfoy's grip on Hermione loosened up. Ever slowly, she slipped from his arms onto the floor and breathed a sigh of relief. She knew he was distraught and knew he was under the delusion that she was someone else.

_Apparently, someone he cares about._

Hermione laughed slightly. Who would have thought Lucius Malfoy could care about anything outside of himself. Then she suddenly recalled the strength he had. Shaking her head, she didn't want to think what that strength would be once he was better. Turning, she ran from the cabin wanting to get as far away as possible.

"Hermione you okay?"

She looked up from her breakfast into the curious face of her boyfriend.

"What do you think, Ronald?"

Harry nudged Ron in the side causing him to turn to Harry with a perturbed look on his face. Hermione's fork clattered onto her plate as she abruptly stood, shouldering her bag.

"I'm going to class early. See you there," she said over her shoulder as she bolted for the door.

Ron shook his head and looked back at Harry.

"She's mental, I'm telling you."

Harry's brow furrowed as he looked at his friend. How could he be friends with someone so dense? His friend's attention was diverted for a moment when Lavender smiled at him. Harry stood up to follow Hermione.

"Nice Ron," he said, "real nice."

Hermione entered the DADA classroom to find it empty. Just what she wanted—time before class to review the chapter and ignore Ron. Why was he so insensitive? Could he not figure out that her parents' death was still lingering in her presence? She heard the creak of the door behind her and the soft footsteps that followed. Turning in her seat, she saw Harry walk in attempting a small smile at her. She turned back around as Harry sat next to her.

"Don't worry about Ron. He doesn't understand."

Hermione smiled slightly.

"But you do Harry."

Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"A little maybe. I never got to know my parents. You at least had that."

Hermione simply nodded her head. Harry placed a friendly arm around her and squeezed in a comforting way.

"Thanks Harry."

"What are friends for?"

The door leading to Professor Lupin's office opened and the professor stepped out smiling warmly at the two students.

"Just the two I needed to see."

Hermione quickly wiped the tears away and sat up straight.

"Yes, Professor?"

He smiled at the girl and then looked to Harry.

"Well, the staff has agreed that your little DA should begin again…in the open as you have been granted permission."

Both students' faces lit up.

"Really," Harry asked.

"Really, Harry. There is only one condition—you are to consult with me on what you plan on doing at each meeting so I can okay it."

Harry jumped from his desk and hugged the professor. The DA was back on! The sound of students approaching sent Harry running back to his seat next to Hermione. The morning's disagreement with Ron was temporarily forgotten when he walked in and they told him about their conversation with Remus. For the remainder of the day the three of them discussed a date and began telling everyone who would listen about it.

Hermione was relieved when Harry didn't ask her why she needed the invisibility cloak. She really didn't want to have to explain that one. Carefully concealed by the cloak, Hermione eased into the hospital wing and waited. Madame Pomfrey looked rather irritated as she looked at Draco Malfoy in the bed with bunny ears.

"Just get rid of them," Draco seethed.

Hermione could hear Madame Pomfrey's tongue clicking as she shook her head. Hermione saw her chance and swiftly moved across the room toward the supply cupboard.

"I will need to have a word with your Head of House, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco rolled his eyes when Madame Pomfrey turned her back and headed into her office. This was it…this was her chance. Not caring that Draco was sitting right there and would see the supply cupboard open, Hermione reached out and opened the door.

"Hey!"

She heard Draco's surprised voice and knew that Madame Pomfrey had to hear it too. Frantically, she searched through the cupboard until she found the phial she was looking for. Reaching out quickly to grab it, she knocked a Pepper-Up potion to the floor. As it shattered, she ran for the door while Draco yelled.

"Who's there?"

Hermione was out in the corridor before Madame Pomfrey rushed back into the room. It was raining as Hermione rushed out onto the grounds and turned the serpent on her necklace. She found her self on the path to the cabin in the pouring rain.

It was dark when Lucius woke up. The only light was the warm glow coming from the fireplace in the living area. He looked around trying to remember how he got there. He barely remembered being removed from Azkaban, but time was a funny thing. He kept remembering someone's face…a face from the past, but that couldn't be. So, who saved him? Who took him to this…cabin?

Lucius heard the doorknob move as the door slowly opened, but no one seemed to be there even after the door closed. He watched between the steps of the stairs from his bed as the girl threw an invisibility cloak off her, tossing it onto a chair. She was soaked through, pale, and drawn looking. It was exactly how his evanescent memory of the girl from his past appeared to him. He watched silently as the girl rushed across the room toward him.

"I brought a potion that should work better than the last."

He watched her hesitate before stepping within reach of him. He reached out and took the phial, his fingers brushing against hers.

"Thank you, Miss…"

Hermione briefly thought about lying. He apparently did not remember her?

"Granger," she supplied.

He was tipping up part of the phial. He felt the shock run through him when she said that. It couldn't be that Mudblood…she looked so much like _her_. Sitting the phial and its remaining contents on the table next to the bed, he turned to Hermione. His eyes swept over the girl. He could just see the vestige of that insufferable little girl in there—the Mudblood. An eyebrow quirked up slightly as he looked at her.

"My Miss Granger, not the little girl anymore are we?"


	4. Picture

Disclaimer: Not mine as you all know.

A/N: please review! Like I always say—it keeps me writing!

**Chapter 4**

_Picture_

_I am all alone this time around  
Sometimes on the side I hear a sound  
Places parallel I know it's you  
Feel the little pieces bleeding through_

_--Nine Inch Nails_

Hermione fidgeted, uncomfortable with the way Lucius was appraising her. He watched her fidget fascinated with how much she resembled his past friend.

"You won't have your strength fully back yet, but that potion is better than the last. And you will need to continue resting and remain calm."

She looked around the cabin, avoiding looking at Lucius. He was amused by her state. She obviously feared him. Something dawned on Hermione. Had Lucius even eaten since bringing him to the cabin?

"Would you like something to eat Mister Malfoy?"

He appeared to sneer at her as he answered her, "yes." Hermione looked at him, briefly considering letting him starve when a shiver ran through her body. Lucius saw her shudder. His eyes raked over her body again.

"Perhaps you should dry yourself first. It would be such a loss to the wizarding world for a witch such as you to die from pneumonia."

Hermione's eyes narrowed at Malfoy.

"Your sarcasm is duly noted."

She turned from the man and with a flick of her wand, she was dry. She stopped in the kitchen area. Turning to look at him, she started to fidget again.

"You can bathe yourself while I fix some food. Can you get there on your own?"

He looked back at the bathroom door and then to her.

"I am sure I can manage," he said. There was no way he was going to ask this…this…this Mudblood for help. She shrugged and turned toward the kitchen.

As Hermione looked through the kitchen, she wondered why she was not just contacting the Ministry with Lucius' whereabouts. But he had been hurt and weakened and she could only imagine how the dementors would love that. She shuddered at the thought. Then she could hear his hoarse voice whisper "Bellatrix" and a new anger formed in her.

Slowly, Lucius made his way back to his designated bed. He watched Hermione. A burning anger was on her face as she forcefully threw food together. Hermione placed some soup and pumpkin juice on a trey when she heard Lucius getting back in bed. When she turned and stepped toward the bed she stopped, frozen in her tracks. Her usual view of Lucius Malfoy was in all black, covered completely in clothes screaming his aristocratic presence, but this was not what she saw. Lucius Malfoy had opted to wear only the pajama bottoms he was given and there he was in the bed with his upper half bare.

Hermione found it hard to swallow as she stepped closer to him, placing the trey across his lap. As he moved his hands to allow her to set the trey down, she saw it—the Dark Mark. Standing up, she didn't move her eyes from the mark. In her mind, the mark still hung over the house she grew up in and the screams of her parents echoed around her.

"I…I…um have to go. Just leave the trey on the side table. I'll be back later."

Lucius watched her run from the cabin wondering why she was not turning him in or killing him.

Harry was watching Ron's knight annihilate his bishop when Hermione came down with a box of fake coins. She sat down in a chair, taking out her wand, and began making odd wand movements to each coin.

"Hermione, what are you doing," Harry asked.

"Preparing the fake galleons for any new arrivals at the DA meeting." She stood up with the box full. "I imagine there will be many."

Harry's mind flashed to the events the night Dumbledore was murdered. The looks on the students' faces who were not fighting—those who had not been in the DA. It was shock, horror…helplessness. Harry nodded his head, looking down in time for Ron to speak out in victory.

"Check mate!"

Harry's eyes shifted back to Hermione climbing the stairs to her private room. Harry felt a burning hate for Voldemort as he watched one of his best friends. No one else seemed to notice, but he had. She wasn't the same anymore.

"Want to go again," Ron asked.

Harry looked back to Ron and shook his head slightly. As usual, Ron had been oblivious to what was going on around him. Frustrated, Harry stood and headed up to bed.

When Hermione came back down the stairs, she found the common room nearly empty. Ron sat at the chess table packing up his chess pieces. Hermione was not in the mood for Ron's chitchat. Picking up the book she left on the sofa, she sat down to immerse herself in reading. Ron looked around the common room when he was done and noticed how deserted it was. Walking over to Hermione, he slid himself next to her on the couch.

"I wonder if they will ever find Malfoy," Ron said. Hermione simply shrugged. She hated this. Every time they were alone and Ron opened his mouth to try an actual conversation, it sounded and felt forced. There was just nothing really for them to talk about. A small twinge of fear and guilt twisted in Hermione when Ron mentioned Malfoy though.

"I hope Voldemort kills his arse," Ron stated trying desperately for conversation.

Hermione's head snapped over to look at Ron.

"Ronald Weasley! That is a horrid thing to say!"

Ron, with his blank yet confused look on his face shrugged his shoulders.

"What! Hermione, he is pure evil! Look how he has treated you."

Hermione shook her head as she turned back to her book.

"That doesn't matter Ron. He is still a human being."

Ron looked at her as if she had snakes coming out of her head. Hermione paid him no attention however and went back to her reading. Ron sat there silent for a moment. Then he decided he was done trying to talk. Hermione felt Ron's movements and hoped she was wrong in what he was about to attempt to do. She was terribly disappointed when she felt his lips moving on the side of her neck. Without looking up, she shrugged him off.

"Stop it Ron."

Ron sat there a moment watching her read. Looking around the common room, he turned back to Hermione and attempted to assault her neck again. She shrugged him off much more forcefully this time.

"Ronald, what is wrong with you? I said stop."

This time she turned to look at him. He didn't look happy.

"What's wrong with you," he snapped.

Hermione stared at him trying to figure out how he could ask her such a thing. There were so many things "wrong" with her. Shouldn't he, above anyone else, realize this?

"You know what, Ron." She snapped her book shut and stood up. "Being as your main concern is snogging maybe you should find someone else to snog."

She stormed up the stairs, thankful she had a room to herself. She leaned against her closed door. Ron's angry voice traveled up the stairs, reaching her ears.

"Fine! I'll just do that!"

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment and blindly felt for the phoenix pendent. Once she felt it, she held it between her fingers, opening her eyes, and looking down at it. She looked around her room. She really did not want to be there—she did not want to be anywhere Ron was near. Looking back down at the phoenix, she began turning the serpent.

Lucius slept most of the day. When he was awake, his mind drifted to a certain memory.

_It can't be her._

He continued to convince himself that his memory was of someone else. After all, for so long he had blocked the memory, refused to ruminate on it, waiting for it to slowly disappear from existence. His mind kept betraying him though. If the Mudblood was the same girl from his memory, then that meant one thing—she lied to him all those years ago.

As Lucius woke, the soft sound of a sniffle alerted him to someone's presence in the cabin. The door to the bathroom was right by his bed and just going in there wore him out, he didn't have the strength to make it all the way across the cabin. There was a fire in the fireplace though. Sitting up in the bed, in the gap between steps he could see her. Hermione was curled up in a large chair. The light from the fire reflected on her face.

She was pale like someone haunted by things within her own mind…in her own memory. The dark circles under her eyes told him she did not sleep well. She started shifting as if seriously disturbed. A tear slid down her cheek and he could hear an agonizing whimper. He sat frozen watching her.

Suddenly, Hermione sat straight up, wide-awake. She looked around as if recalling where she was. Realizing the time that Harry and Ron were probably already heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast she jumped up, throwing the blanket off her.

"Oh bugger!"

Lucius watched the girl run around frantically. She ran into the bathroom and grabbed a phial of potion for Lucius. Sitting it on his bedside table, she ran to the kitchen and threw a quick breakfast together for him. As he ate, she checked the time again. It didn't matter how quick she was, she would miss breakfast totally. Not that she was very hungry anyway. Lucius watched her stand there tapping her foot in irritation and indecision. Throwing her hands up in the air, she turned toward the bathroom and moments later Lucius heard the shower running.

As the warm water showered down on Hermione, she felt every ounce of her relax. She hated waking up like that, but it happened almost daily anymore. As she washed her hair, she kept pondering how the things she needed in terms of immediate needs—food, shampoos, ect—seemed to be provided by the cabin. It was Dumbledore's so it couldn't be totally normal. Then her mind wandered to the injured Death Eater in the bed just through the door.

_Why am I doing this?_

When Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, Lucius had finished his breakfast and was downing his potion.

"Now do not forget your strength will not be up to par yet, so no traveling around the cabin yet."

Lucius looked at her as he placed the phial down, irritation growing. Who did this Mudblood think she was? Hermione noticed the detestation Lucius held in his eyes while he watched her. Her eyes narrowed in return before she turned to leave.

His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her. Using all his strength, he pulled her back. She fell back over him, landing on the other side of the bed. As quick as a flash of lightening, Lucius turned, pinning her wrists to the bed. He hovered above her, sneer in place, with nothing short of malice in his eyes.

Hermione's heart was pounding. Panic was washing over her coming close to overwhelming her. He leaned so close to her that as he moved to whisper in her ear, she could feel the heat from the tip of his nose caressing her cheek. Hermione held her breath.

"You are correct, Miss Granger. My strength is not up to par. Just imagine what I can do when it is."

She began to squirm, wanting, needing to get away. He chuckled ever so slightly as his strength began to wane. He threw himself back onto his back and watched with amusement as Hermione scampered off the bed. She grabbed her bag and rushed for the door. On her way out, Lucius heard her mumbled "be back later."

Hermione sat in the common room working on her homework. The first DA meeting was in only a few hours. Harry sat across from her working on a DADA essay. Hermione looked up at Ron playing exploding snap by the fire with Dean. She shook her head. Harry, noticing this, turned around following Hermione's gaze.

"Don't worry about it Hermione. You know Ron always waits until the last minute."

Hermione snorted as she turned back to her work.

"Yes and then he expects me to do it for him."

Harry smiled gently.

"True."

The occupants of the Gryffindor common room looked up at a tapping sound coming from one of the windows. Curiously, Hermione walked over to the stained glass window and opened it letting in a school owl. The owl flew into the common room, circling the entire room, and dropped two pieces of parchment in between Harry and Hermione.

"What is it," Hermione asked Harry as she opened her own.

"Professor Slughorn is having a dinner gathering next week."

Hermione could feel the burning glare Ron was sending her way as she read the invitation. Ignoring Ron, she placed it in her bag and began gathering her books. Harry looked up.

"Where are you going?"

Hermione shrugged a bit.

"I'm running to the library. I'll see you in time for the DA meeting."

Harry nodded and watched her run out the portrait hole.

Hermione entered the cabin to find Lucius sound asleep. The potions would cause him to sleep for hours. As she stood next to his bed looking down at him, she questioned her decision to help him again. He seemed so strong that morning when he pinned her down. And he was right—what would he be like when he was back to full strength? An indescribable panic rose in her chest at that thought. Would he kill her?

She was about to turn away when she noticed it. On the bedside table sat a small snapshot. Reaching out with shaking hands, she looked at Lucius to see that he was sound asleep still, and picked it up. She stared at the wizard picture confused and enthralled by it.

The occupants of the picture were unaware they were being photographed. She recognized the surroundings—her favorite corner in the library. Sitting at a table was a much younger Lucius Malfoy. A book lay out in front of him on the table. His hair was much shorter than the Lucius lying in the bed, closer to the length of her ex-Potions Professor. The most drastic difference was his eyes and face. Lucius' face seemed less closed off than what it was now. His eyes—his cold grey eyes held warmth…warmth that seemed directed at the oblivious girl sitting across from him. The girl sat deep in thought chewing on the tip of her sugar quill before beginning to write again. Hermione stood in the cabin, staring at the picture…staring at the girl in the picture. It could have been Hermione's identical twin.


	5. Mirror of Erised

Disclaimer: not mine

A/N: please review…please?

**Chapter 5**

_Mirror of Erised_

_all this time I can't believe I couldn't see  
kept in the dark but you were there in front of me  
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems  
got to open my eyes to everything  
without a thought without a voice without a soul  
don't let me die here  
there must be something more  
bring me to life_

_--Evanescence_

Her heart pounded in her chest as she placed the picture back where she found it. Her eyes shifted to Lucius…still asleep. Her mind began rummaging through all the family pictures at the house that was once her parents' house. She couldn't recall if there was a relative that looked anything like her. Fear struck her at the idea of going back to the house to look, but she had to know.

Hermione turned to leave, but something or someone blocked her path. A small house elf wearing…clothes. The house elf seemed nervous as it fiddled with its hands nervously.

"Hello," Hermione said sweetly.

The house elf's ears perked up slightly.

"Hello, miss! Punky is yours now."

Suddenly it dawned on Hermione how the cabin seemed to remain stocked. From the look of the elf, it was clear Dumbledore took care of it.

"Punky, are you paid?"

Punky nodded her head vigorously.

"Yes, miss! Oh yes! The master, Dumbledore paid Punky!"

Hermione brow crinkled in slight confusion.

"Punky, you do know that Dumbledore is dead?"

Punky lowered her head as if sad and nodded.

"Yes, Punky knows. Dumbledore give Punky savings at Gringotts to pay for service to miss!"

Hermione smiled slightly and then an idea struck her. She wouldn't have to go to her parents' old house after all.

"Punky, can you do me a favor?"

Hermione ran through the corridors. She wasn't late by any means, but she wanted to be there to help Harry create the room. She skidded to a halt outside the tapestry. Harry looked up and smiled. He knew Hermione wouldn't let him down. She said she would be there and that meant she would be there. Ron looked everywhere but at Hermione. Rolling her eyes at Ron's behavior, Hermione walked to stand next to Harry and together they walked back and forth three times until the door appeared.

Stepping in, the Room of Requirement looked just as it had in fifth year—it was as if time stood still in this room. Immediately, Hermione ran over to the books and started to thumb through them. Within minutes, Remus arrived to observe the DA followed by a myriad of students. There were people from every house present, even Slytherin. Harry watched all the people file into the room and begin sitting around on the soft floor. Harry stood in front of them and began talking.

"I am going to go ahead and warn you—this is not a game. If you are here believing you will play and not have to actually work," he pointed toward the door. "There's the door. Leave. Now."

Hermione smiled as she watched Harry get the attention of everyone in that room. The giggling girls stopped giggling and began looking at Harry with wide serious eyes. He had grown since the first ever DA meeting. Instead of being slightly unsure of himself, Harry was confident and was not about to take slacking off during the DA meetings—not if they wanted to survive this war. It saddened Hermione to think that it took the death of Dumbledore for Harry to reach this point.

As Harry was pointing at the door though, it opened. Draco Malfoy sauntered in with a smirk on his face as everyone watched him. Mouths were open as all eyes followed him. Draco made his way to the front, where Hermione and Ron were sitting and took a seat on the other side of Hermione. She looked at him completely indignant. He simply smirked and nodded his head.

"Granger."

He looked up at Harry.

"Please continue Potter."

Harry's eyes narrowed.

"If you are here to cause trouble…then leave, Malfoy."

Draco looked Harry up and down in what could only be described as hate.

"No, Potter. Believe it or not, I am not here to cause trouble. Get in touch with your Slytherin side, Potter. I could be useful."

Whispers immediately spread.

"Quiet!"

Everyone jumped at the loud sound of Harry's voice. Draco smirked.

"Are we channeling Snape now?"

Harry stepped forward, but Remus stuck his hand out stopping him.

"Draco," Remus said. "Could I have a word with you outside?"

Draco looked thoroughly chastised as he followed Remus out the door. Hermione moved toward the door. Harry watched her but said nothing. She held her head against it and all watched as her eyes grew wider and wider as the seconds passed.

Out in the corridor, Draco had his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet. Remus rubbed his head before turning to look at the boy.

"Draco, I am disappointed in your behavior. When your mother was killed Tonks and I took you in, gave you food, shelter, and love, Draco. Your father may have condoned your behavior, but neither Tonks or myself will tolerate the bullying and the bating. Is that clear Draco?"

Hermione heard footsteps and ran back to the group. Harry's eyes followed her and when she looked up to meet his, Harry understood what she was saying.

"I'll explain later."

Not one comment came from Draco the remainder of the meeting.

Lucius sat up in bed. The morning sun was shining through the windows lighting up boxes that lay on the floor in the living area. His mind felt slightly groggy as some house elf named Punky brought him a trey of breakfast. He simply nodded his head and dug in. It didn't take long for him to begin waking up and realize he felt a tad better than he had when he fell asleep.

Instinctively, as if this was something he did every morning, Lucius' hand reached out and took the picture on his nightstand. His eyes traveled over the young woman sitting across from him in the picture. Her face scrunched up in concentration as she nibbled on her sugar quill. He used to love watching her do that. He couldn't explain why and he would never admit to that out loud, but he did.

His mind wandered from the picture to the irritating girl caring for him for who knew what reason. They were uncannily identical and it served to do nothing but fill Lucius' mind with nightmares—nightmares that could not be true. That Mudblood was not the same Hermione he knew from his last year at Hogwarts. Angry and disgusted with himself, he threw the picture back onto the nightstand. He sat on the bed as his foul mood festered within him.

Hermione hurried through breakfast. She knew she had too many boxes to go through to have time to dilly-dally. Harry and Ron watched her eating as fast as she could without looking like Ron.

"Why are you in such a hurry? The library isn't going anywhere," Ron said in a voice laced with sarcasm.

Harry sighed in a pure sign of exasperation at how stupid his friend could be. Hermione slammed her fork down causing several people around them to jump.

"I am not going to the library Ronald! And where I am going is none of your concern."

She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder and stormed from the Great Hall. Harry shrugged at Ron as if saying "I don't know," but in reality Harry was ready to throttle Ron. When Harry turned back around his eyes met the one person he least expected at that moment. Across from him sat Ginny with some of her friends. Her eyes met his and Harry could see the fathomless depths they held—the bittersweet sorrow, the understanding, the love. Harry looked away, wishing any other life were his but this one.

Hermione charged into the cabin to find Lucius halfway across the cabin. He was no longer in his bed, but making his way to a sofa sitting by a fireplace. Hermione shut the door and slowly placed her bag down in the corner. Their eyes were locked on each other, neither willing to give in.

"What are you doing," Hermione asked.

Lucius sneered as he began to make his way to the sofa.

"I thought you were a smart Mudblood."

Hermione sighed not really wanting to put up with his comments, but knowing there was really no choice if she was to look through the old family photos. As Lucius sat down and watched Hermione make her way to a large cushy chair, he noticed she was wearing muggle clothes—no school uniform. It was Saturday. He picked up the book he had been reading and tried to submerse himself in it. His mind and eye kept roaming to Hermione looking for some sign that the Mudblood was not in any way related to his lost friend.

Before Hermione dug into the boxes before her she reached into her bag and pulled out a small hand held mirror. She handed it to Lucius. His eyebrow quirked as he looked from the mirror in hand to the Mudblood.

"I cast a variation of the protean charm on it so if you need anything in your weakened state you can contact me."

He tossed the mirror onto the table between them. Looking at her, sneering, she felt the disdain radiating off him.

"I assure you I am not so weakened that I cannot help myself. I believe I proved that the other morning."

Lucius turned to his reading. Hermione nervously licked her lips and then turned to the boxes before her.

He watched her pull out everything from family photo albums to loose pictures to actual painted portraits. She seemed to be searching for something. Lucius kept glancing over at various pictures also, hoping to see some sign that "Mudblood Granger" was not _his _Hermione. She knew he was watching though. She felt it every time he looked up from his book. Tears were forming in her eyes, but quickly she would blink them away. It went on for hours until Punky arrived with a plate of sandwiches and pumpkin juice. Hermione paid no attention though and continued her perusal of the various boxes.

"Miss Granger, you may want to take a break and eat something."

Hermione looked up at Lucius as if she had forgotten he was even in the cabin.

"You don't want to lose what strength you do have," he said in the smooth silky voice. "You want to keep your strength up for when I am up to par…you are going to need it." Hermione blinked letting his words sink in.

_I'm going to need it?_

An odd chill ran up and down Hermione's spine causing her to shiver slightly. Her eyes shifted to the plate of sandwiches that sat between Hermione and Lucius. Taking one, she sat back with a great sigh of defeat. It was no use. There were no pictures of anyone resembling Hermione so closely.

Frustrated, she tilted her head back, resting it on the back of the sofa. The loft. She hadn't thought of it before for some reason and decided it was time to explore a bit. Getting up without a word to Lucius, she climbed the stairs. The loft above was dusty and crammed with boxes and various objects apparently stored there. Standing there, she noticed a rather large object in the middle of the room with a deep blue covering.

Curiosity won out inside Hermione. Glancing down behind her, she could see Lucius still reading. Walking across the room sent puffs of dust in the air. Whatever this large object was, there was a box sitting in front of it as if it was meant to go together. Glancing at the box Hermione debated whether to look.

_These are not your things._

But the more Hermione tried to tell herself no the more logic argued telling her that Dumbledore had left these things to her. The box was partially open already and the corner of a picture could be seen. Bending over, Hermione lifted the picture up into her hand and stared at it. Her heart began to beat faster than anything she thought she could withstand. The picture made no sense.

It was a photograph of the same couple from the picture next to Lucius' bed. This time they knew they were being photographed and posed for it. The young Lucius nodded his head in acknowledgement and the Hermione-look-a-like waved vigorously. She then rolled her eyes, wrapped her arms around the younger Lucius, and kissed him soundly on the cheek. The younger Lucius' mouth uncontrollably turned up into a full smile.

Hermione simply stared at this picture too. This person had to be related somehow. How else could someone going to school with Lucius Malfoy look exactly like Hermione Granger? And why was Lucius Malfoy of all people enjoying the company of an obvious muggle-born? With the picture still in hand, she reached up with the other hand and removed the deep blue covering on the large object.

She stood back in awe. Hermione knew what this was…it was the Mirror of Erised. She knew Dumbledore moved it back in their first year, but to a cabin? She stood there with the confusing picture in one hand, staring open-mouthed at the image in the mirror. It couldn't be. It just didn't make sense. In the mirror in his full aristocratic glory was Lucius Malfoy.


	6. Hideaway

Disclaimer: As you all know: this is not mine.

A/N: please oh please review! Well, if you want more chapters then review! How else do I know you are reading? Hmmm? OH and one more thing: these chapters will not come out as fast as they did for In the Rain—I am taking more time with these and hope you appreciate it. But don't worry it will not take months or even weeks to update. Don't forget to review.

**Chapter 6**

_Hideaway_

_I tear my heart open, I sow myself shut  
My weakness is that I care too much  
My scars remind me that the past is real  
I tear my heart open just to feel_

_--Papa Roach_

Lucius continued to read as the sun began to slowly set. His eyes glanced up to the loft area. Hermione went up there at least an hour ago. When he finally heard her feet shuffling down the stairs he glanced at her over the top of his book. She looked shaken and pale. She stopped as she stepped off the bottom step and stood there, eyes locked with Lucius'. Hermione thought about out right asking Lucius about the picture, but knew she would only be answered with a sneer and a derogatory remark. Breaking the connection, she walked over to the sofa grabbing her bag.

Lucius said nothing…only watched her go wondering what the old man left in the loft. He looked at the boxes she had neatly stacked along the wall. Despite the book in front of him, he had been paying attention to each picture Hermione pulled out. There were no pictures of his old friend. He knew why…she had told him; she just didn't tell him everything. Sighing in frustration, he ran his hand through his hair.

_It is not the Mudblood. Just a coincidence. _

Standing up, Lucius made his way to the bed.

_Hermione was sleeping. She felt warm…safe. Her eyes fluttered open. She was in a common room she did not recognize. It held no windows and seemed dark even by day. A fire danced in the fireplace and she felt gentle hands stroking her hair. Shifting, she began to sit up._

"_I do wish I knew what frightens you so in your dorm room."_

_Hermione sat up and turned smiling as if apologizing for not telling. She looked into the face of a young seventeen-year-old Lucius Malfoy. He shrugged as if accepting the fact that she was not ready to tell._

"_Come up to my Head Boy room with me. You can sleep there." He held up his hand as Hermione looked to protest. "I don't mean it as anything beyond helping a friend. You need sleep as do I."_

_The young Lucius stood and held out his hand for Hermione to take. She looked at his hand and then looked around the common room. Smiling nervously, she took his hand and whispered, "thank you, Lucius."_

_Lucius led her across the common room and up the stairs._

Hermione sat up abruptly. She was breathing as if she had just run a marathon. As her mind reminded her of the dream, she shook her head as if she could get rid of it. It seemed so strange…so real, like a memory. Deciding not to think about it at that moment, she got ready for classes quickly.

Hermione entered the Great Hall. Harry and Ron were already sitting at the table inhaling a hardy breakfast. Ron still wasn't talking to her…or she wasn't really talking to him. She needed to talk to someone about the cabin and the pictures. As she sat down at the table and began filling her plate, she looked across from her.

Harry.

Since they had gotten older, Harry tended not to take sides in her and Ron's arguments. She was staring. She realized this when Harry looked up at her with a worried expression.

"Hermione you okay?"

She leaned over the table, her eyes scanning to make sure no one was listening. Harry leaned over to hear her.

"I need to tell you something."

Harry nodded for her to continue.

"The letter Dumbledore left for me was well…he bequeathed a cabin to me."

Harry smiled to Hermione's surprise. He nodded his head.

"So that is where you have been disappearing to. I got a cabin too. So did Ron."

Hermione's mouth fell open slightly. She knew the wards that came with the cabin protecting it keeping everyone out but her or who she invited. Why would Dumbledore leave one to each of them? Hermione licked her lips nervously.

"I found this in a box there."

She handed Harry the snapshot picture, folded. Taking it curiously, he began to unfold it as he took a big swig of pumpkin juice. Bad idea. The moment he unfolded the picture and saw the image of the younger Lucius and Hermione's look-a-like pumpkin juice sprayed from his mouth and he began to choke on what he had started to swallow. Several Gryffindor's registered their complaint with the pumpkin juice shower as Harry slowly calmed down.

As Harry stared at the picture with his mouth hanging open, Hermione noticed the writing on the back. Snatching it out of his hands, she flipped it over to look at it. It was Dumbledore's handwriting. It read:

Lucius and Hermione 1971

She handed it back to Harry to read. Hermione watched his eyes grow larger than a house elf's. She reached back out for the picture and he handed it over. Quickly putting it away, she turned back to Harry.

"Hermione, you sure you don't have any family that went here? An aunt or something?"

She shook her head.

"I already looked into that." She shook her head. "It just doesn't make any sense."

Harry noticed the light in her eyes. The light had been gone since her parents' death, but when facing a mysterious challenge she looked to come alive for a moment. Just as quickly, it was gone.

Harry and Ron both waited at the bottom of the steps for Hermione.

"Let's just go ahead to lunch. She'll catch up," Ron whined.

Harry looked at him in a way that made Ron look away ashamed at his behavior. A slight commotion could be heard coming from one of the corridors. Several students in the corridor near Harry and Ron had turned to see what it was, stopping what they were doing. Hermione was rushing down the corridor, bag over her shoulder, parchment clutched tightly in her hand. Behind her followed Draco and several Slytherins laughing and taunting her.

Harry and Ron both stepped forward defensively as Hermione approached. Harry could see there were tears in her eyes. Both boys had their wands in hand, glaring at Malfoy with already formed accusations in mind.

"What happened," Harry asked.

Hermione shrugged as if trying to dismiss it all.

"In Ancient Runes Malfoy charmed my quill to write for me."

Harry looked at her wondering what was so bad about that until he took the parchment she had in her hand. Written over and over across the parchment in Hermione's own handwriting were the words: I am a filthy Mudblood.

Intense anger surged through both Harry and Ron as Draco found two wands pointing directly at him.

"Mister Potter, Mister Weasley, Mister Malfoy. What is going on here?"

All three boys turned to see the Headmistress looking at them sternly, waiting for an answer. Harry shoved the parchment he held so tightly toward McGonagall. Her eyes scanned the parchment, recognizing the handwriting. She looked back up at Harry.

"And how does Mister Malfoy work into this?"

Harry pointed at Draco.

"He charmed Hermione's quill to write that."

McGonagall turned toward Hermione, who appeared to be trying to disappear in the shadows of the crowd that had drawn around them.

"Is this true Miss Granger?"

Hermione nodded.

"You three," McGonagall pointed to the boys. "Follow me."

Hermione watched her friends follow the Headmistress with her worst enemy. Before anyone could stop and stare at her, she turned and ran to the bathroom. Slamming the bathroom stall shut, she slid down the side, sitting and letting the tears fall.

Lucius relaxed on the bed as he held the mirror Hermione had given him. He briefly thought about calling her simply to see if she would run to him…just like a good little servant. That thought was soon lost when he picked up the mirror. He knew Hermione had cast a variation of the protean charm on it and wondered if she realized it would not only allow her to check up on him, but he could check up on her.

He held the mirror and watched Hermione run to the girls' room and cry her heart out. He recognized the bathroom—it was Moaning Myrtle's. No one would go in there and so when she screamed out, "I hate you Malfoy," it reverberated off the walls, echoing around her.

Harry sat in between Hermione and Ron in DADA. Professor Lupin walked in looking more solemn than usual. The class waited as the professor looked around and then sadly began.

"You will begin doing an independent study of DADA until a replacement for me can be found."

There was an immediate uproar of protest from the students. Harry and Hermione both stared at Remus stunned that this was the first they were hearing of it. Remus held up his hand to silent the class.

"I am sorry, but…something has come up that I need to take care of and I am afraid it will take most of my time."

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks. That meant only one thing—Fenrir Greyback is what came up.

Lucius sat by the fire of the cabin watching in the mirror. His breath caught when he saw Hermione. She was preparing for one of the Slug Club's little dinner parties. He had fond memories of those and one in particular with _his _Hermione. However, he could not take his eyes off the mirror showing him the Mudblood. She walked with Potter through the corridors. Her cocktail dress was black, long-sleeved, off the shoulder with an asymmetrical hem to show just a tad of leg on one side.

Hermione sat at the table Slughorn had set up in his enlarged office. Harry sat next to her and on the other side of Harry was Ginny. The tension existing between Ginny and Harry could be felt all around the table. Blaise sat across from Ginny eyeing her with interest.

Conversation around the table was pleasant, but as usually largely run by Slughorn himself who sat at the head of the table like a king. Hermione picked at her food, trying to give the impression she was indeed eating. Harry leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"I know you are not eating."

Hermione shot him a "don't you dare" look before taking an exaggerated bite to show Harry that she was indeed eating. He chuckled and rolled his eyes. Hermione had been quiet most of the dinner and Slughorn took notice of this. Watching his top student, he leaned slightly over from the head of the table.

"Hermione, are you sure you are of no relation to Hector Dagworth-Granger?"

All eyes were on her. She looked around the table and sighed.

"I am positive professor."

He smiled with his eyes twinkling. As plates were disappearing from the table Hermione felt a warm sensation flow through her alerting her that Lucius was calling her. Harry looked at her curiously at her sudden startled expression. Her eyes wide, she exclaimed she had to go and was sorry. Harry watched her rush out the door.

Lucius watched the young witch rush into the cabin and look around wide-eyed as if she thought he was mortally injured. His eyebrow arched as his mouth slid into his usual smirk. Noticing Lucius sitting by the fire, unharmed, she threw her cloak off and onto the chair as she stormed across the room.

"What the bloody hell is the meaning of this?"

Lucius remained calm, watching the young witch's cheeks flush in anger.

_The most color she's had since I woke up in the wretched cabin._

His eyes traveled up her body again causing her to fidget uncomfortably.

"I was at a Slug Club dinner you know."

Lucius nodded his head as if answering a question. As he stood up Hermione held her breath. Even in nothing but pajama bottoms, the man was an intimidating presence. Lucius took a couple steps closer to her, but Hermione refused to back away…to show fear.

"I want to see my son."

Hermione's mouth opened and then closed.

"Pardon," she said looking up at Lucius in utter confusion.

Lucius began circling her, looking over every inch of her he could as he spoke, reveling in how uncomfortable he was making her.

"I said I want to see my son. You are supposed to be a smart Mudblood. You will find a way or I will take you down with me."

He stopped circling and stood in front of her. Leaning over to be eye level he told her exactly what to do.

"I am to follow you to school, hidden, and I will not speak a word to anyone. My goal is simply to see my son."

Hermione was shaking her head no.

"No…no way. It's too dangerous…you would be caught…"

"No, Miss Granger. I will not be caught. You will arrange this and it will go smoothly or I take you down with me, as I said."

"No," she argued.

"Yes, Miss Granger. Remember…you alone know where I am. That could make you an accomplice when it comes down to it."

Hermione frantically paced around the room ranting on and on to herself. Finally, she roughly snatched her cloak from the sofa and yelled.

"Fine! Fine! I will do it! Happy!"

She began swiftly stomping toward the door and opened her mouth to yell at him again, but was stopped.

Lucius heard something. Footsteps and whispers. Both of which did not belong to the ranting Mudblood in front of him. The shadow of movement outside caught his attention and before Hermione could let another syllable out, Lucius crossed the room. He clamped his hand over Hermione's mouth to shut her up and wrapped his other arm around her pulling her back against him.

She felt panic rush through her veins. What was Malfoy doing? She fought but he tightened his grip and leaned over in her ear.

"Stop it this instant," he hissed.

He had pulled her toward the window, where they would be hidden, but he could still see out. He knew when Hermione saw the witch outside looking around on the porch. He knew because he felt her small body against his begin to tremble in fear. Terror gripped her heart at the sight of Bellatrix roaming around within reach. As her whole body trembled in terror, Lucius tightened his grip on her, but removed his hand from her mouth. She seemed unable to speak.

The moonlight shining through the window gave the only light beyond the fireplace. Bellatrix walked along the front porch peering in windows. The hand that was holding Hermione's mouth shut now held her arm as his arm cross over her chest. He could feel her heart pounding at an unusual rate—considering Bellatrix was at the Department of Mysteries too. When Bellatrix's face appeared in the window they stood next too, Lucius thought for sure Hermione was going to scream. Her mouth opened, but no sound escaped—as if she had lost the function of her voice all together. He held tighter getting the feeling that if not for his arms around her she would fall to the ground. He could feel every ounce of her shaking.

"Severus, I don't see anyone."

A couple seconds later the sound of two people apparating could be heard. Lucius quickly let go of the girl and watched as she fell. The moonlight shone through the window onto her form illuminating her skin in contrast to her black dress. The tears fell uncontrollably as her body shook in grief and terror.


	7. Invisible

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Please…review. Sorry about my scene separators not working in previous chapters. I have no idea what happened there. Anyway, this took longer than I anticipated—I was sick along with all three kids. We were quite the miserable house. Okay…I hope you enjoy this one….let me know.

**Chapter 7**

_Invisible_

_Had to to turn, lay down,  
Your sting of disease.  
Phase you out, should've seen this coming.  
Go on confusing the soul,  
Hold my breath 'til you rupture._

Three days aside,  
Your rebirth can't hurt,  
Branch out behind, pride.

_--Chevelle_

Lucius stood there, waiting. Hermione's mournful cries filled the cabin reminding Lucius of the Hermione he knew. She was so sad in the beginning and he knew why. The memory rushed into him as if it were yesterday…

_He could see her small figure standing under a tree by the lake. The landscape was covered in a pristine snow. The only sign of a disturbance were her footprints that led him to her. The lake—partially frozen. She leaned back on the tree as she stared out at the frozen lake. The closer he got the more clearly he could see her face. Her face held such sorrow and something else he could never quite put his finger on._

_Lucius approached the tree and leaned against it at an angle to her. They remained silent. He turned his head to look at her profile._

"_Why are you always so sad?"_

_He heard her take a slow quivering breath before turning to look at him. Their faces were mere inches apart as she smiled sweetly at him and whispered._

"_Just memories. Nothing for you to fret over."_

_Lucius turned to stand in front of her. _

"_Memories of what?"_

_She didn't answer him. Instead, she looked down to the ground next to them and closed her eyes as if composing herself. He reached out, placing his fingers under her chin and lifted her chin to make her look at him._

"_Memories of what," he repeated._

"_My parents' murder."_

_Her voice was a mere whisper, but to Lucius it seemed to echo in the pure snow—such an ironic surrounding for such a confession. As they stood in the middle of all that purity, she recounted the story of the faithful night the Dark Mark burned above her house..._

Lucius watched Hermione in the moonlight. There was no way this was the same Hermione…no way. His heart pounded in excitement that it was, but also in fury that it was possible.

Hermione stood up, angrily wiping her tears away.

"You!" She turned to Lucius.

"If you plan on this little outing to see your son then you need rest. I won't have you killing over."

Lucius watched her curiously. She stood up with such anger. He was unsure if it was anger at herself or someone else. A fire seemed to burn in her eyes…a fire Lucius recognized. Realization struck Lucius. He chuckled and began to walk toward Hermione. This time she attempted to back away. Lucius kept walking.

Hermione's eyes widen as Lucius advanced on her. Suddenly she felt herself stop abruptly as she backed into the wall. A smirk crept up on Lucius' face as he leaned his hands against the wall on either side of Hermione, cutting off any escape. Hermione refused to look at him, turning her head to the side. That proved to be a mistake. She was faced with the Dark Mark burning on his arm. She closed her eyes and let out a small whimper.

"Now I understand why you have this…desire…to keep me well and alive."

His silky voice tickled her spine. Propped against the wall, next to Hermione, was Lucius serpent tipped cane that his wand was kept in. He reached out and picked up his cane. Hermione felt the cold silver under her chin as Lucius used it to force Hermione to look up at him.

"Yes…it is written all over your face, Miss Granger." His eyes scanned her face and then bore into her eyes as if seeing her soul. Hermione gasped as if catching her breath. Lucius leaned in a bit more.

"So, tell me what has Bellatrix done to you?"

He saw that fire flash in her eyes again. Her voice was very controlled, but thoroughly laced with anger, spite, and the need for vengeance.

"She murdered my family."

Hermione felt the cold serpent drop from under her chin. Lucius took a couple steps back and Hermione used this opportunity. Lucius just stood there watching her run from the cabin. Ever since she said Bellatrix murdered her family little pieces of a puzzle in his mind seemed to be clicking into place.

As Lucius slowly made his way to Hermione's owl sitting on top of a cage in the corner, images of the past taunted him. The puzzle was not complete, but the main picture was clear. He remembered what she was wearing when she arrived. There was only one thing to do, one thing that could stop all of this—he had to prevent her from going or make it so she would not speak to him when she did arrive.

Grabbing a piece of parchment on the desk next to the owl, Lucius quickly scribbled a note and attached it. He watched the owl fly off as his memories clouded him.

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McGonagall was sitting in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place in an Order meeting when an owl flew in from an upstairs window. Everyone watched in silence as the owl, recognized as Hermione's newest pet, landed in front of the Headmistress. McGonagall took the parchment and read over it quickly. With a quick nod of her head, she handed the parchment to Kingsley.

"I believe this is your department."

He nodded politely and took the parchment.

"Now, where were we…?"

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Hermione sat at her favorite table in the library with Harry. They both could feel the difference in dynamics without Ron there.

"I really am sorry about Ron," Harry said to her trying to make up for his friend.

They both left Ron in the common room entangled with Lavender. Hermione shrugged.

"Ron and I were never any good at the whole dating each other thing anyway."

Harry smiled as if saying he was still sorry, but deep down he agreed with her. Things were better when they were all just friends.

Hermione's mind kept traveling to Lucius and how to get him into the school. She did come up with a way. The only problem was Harry. She nibbled on her sugar quill as she looked around nervously. At least in the library Harry couldn't yell at her.

"Harry?"

He looked up curious. He watched her fidget for a moment and look around.

"Could I borrow your invisibility cloak for Monday?"

Harry's forehead scrunched up in confusion. Hermione never asked to borrow the cloak. Hermione continued to fidget.

"What for?"

Hermione froze in mid-fidget. She stared right at Harry and she could swear he could hear her heart. Once she began to fidget again she started to talk.

"Well, let me show you. But you cannot be loud and you have to let me explain."

Feeling slightly worried, Harry nodded his head in agreement. With a deep breath, as if preparing herself Hermione leant down into her bag and dug out a compact mirror. Taking a quick look around to ensure no one was watching Hermione slid the mirror over to Harry. He looked at the closed compact.

"Uh…Hermione. What are you trying to say?"

She rolled her eyes but nerves still controlled her movements.

"Just open it Harry."

Harry opened the compact and what he saw froze him in his seat with his mouth open. In the mirror was the image of Lucius Malfoy sitting by the fire reading. He closed the compact and slid it back over to Hermione without a word. Hermione's nerves were about to explode. As Hermione placed the compact back in her bag, Harry remained silent as if letting it sink in.

Finally, he looked up at her.

"Hermione, what are you doing?"

Quickly Hermione told Harry what happened when she first went to the cabin.

"…I won't let that woman kill someone else when I can stop it Harry, I just won't."

Harry could see the tears in her eyes and reached his hand across the table placing it over hers.

"It's okay…I just worry that he'll hurt you…"

She shook her head no.

"He's had the opportunity and hasn't yet."

"True…so how does the invisibility cloak tie in?"

She explained his desire to see his son. Harry sat quietly for a few moments thinking and planning.

"Okay…but I will have the Marauder's Map on me so if he tries _anything_ I will know."

Hermione smiled at Harry, thankful she had one non-judgmental friend.

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Early Monday morning before breakfast, Harry met Hermione in the common room with the invisibility cloak. She took it gratefully and placed it in her bag.

"I really appreciate this Harry."

Harry stood with his hands in his pockets and watched her place the cloak in her bag. For Draco and a few select, others who recognized Lucius and re-told the story—the legend began with a mysterious masked man dancing with their Head Girl as if he were the other half of her soul. But it would still be much later for most—the legend most people knew started when Hermione reminded Lucius he should be calling her Mudblood. For Harry and those he would later recount the story to—this is where the legend began.

"I'm still uncomfortable with this. Just…be careful."

Smiling, Hermione kissed him on the cheek.

"Don't worry."

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Lucius was standing, ready to go when Hermione stepped into the cabin. Hermione wanted nothing more than to just get the day over with and walked into the cabin all business.

"Alright, Harry will have his map with him today, so don't try anything. If you do he will know."

"Map?"

Lucius looked at her with a curious eyebrow. She stopped fumbling with her bag as if she realized what she said. Slowly her eyes looked up into Lucius'. It was becoming harder for him to even try to deny it—those were Hermione's eyes. Hermione nervously went back to fumbling with her bag.

"Never mind that. Here."

She held out the invisibility cloak to him.

"You'll wear that, but when we are walking in the corridors you will need to hold on to my bag or something so I know you are there."

With a look of complete disdain, Lucius put the cloak on. Hermione nodded her head to let Lucius know he was well hidden. Once she placed her bag back on her shoulder she felt an added weight to her shoulder—Lucius had grabbed a hold of her bag. Together they walked out of the cabin and in the middle of the path, she rotated the serpent on her necklace.

Lucius followed Hermione through the corridors, carefully avoiding running into anyone or running Lucius into anyone. Based on the direction Hermione was leading him, he knew she had advanced potions first thing. When Hermione stepped into the dungeon classroom, she noticed she was the last to arrive. Harry watched her curiously as if mentally asking her if Lucius were there. She nodded her head as she took her usual seat across from Harry and felt Lucius sit in the usually empty seat next to her.

It was double potions. Lucius watched Hermione dutifully taking notes. Harry took notes, but not quite like Hermione. Occasionally, she would pause, chewing on her sugar quill in thought before continuing. Lucius felt a confusing combination of reminiscence, longing, and anger swirl in his blood. Lucius turned to the table next to the one he sat at to watch his son.

Draco's arms were covered by his school clothes, but Lucius knew what burned beneath them and why. What he could only describe as guilt mixed with the pride he felt for his son. Draco was smirking at Hermione though as if amused by something. Turning back to look at the girl, Lucius saw her watery eyes as her quill danced over her page of its own accord. The words "I am a filthy Mudblood" danced off the page in Hermione's handwriting. Hermione's wand sat in front of her pointing in the direction of Draco. A couple seconds later, a smile spread over Hermione's face as Draco's quill began writing for him "I am Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret."

"You'll get yours Mudblood," Draco whispered unknowingly over Lucius to Hermione. Hermione simply returned the gesture with a sweet smile as she went about making her potion. Lucius watched with a tinge of amusement and wonder. It would seem Draco's jibes meant nothing to Hermione but a reason for amusement, but Lucius knew better. He did see her in the mirror that day crying.

Lucius sat very still as Slughorn made his way to each cauldron to peek inside to see how the potion was progressing. When he came to the table that Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at he peeked in each cauldron and beamed.

"Yes! I though your Polyjuice Potions would be exactly as they should!"

The class turned to look at the three blushing teens.

"Rumor has it," Slughorn continued, "that you three brewed this in your second year!"

All three of them seemed to stop breathing which only caused Slughorn to chuckle jovially. Hermione felt frozen to her seat but not so that she did not hear the silky voice in her ear.

"You brewed this in your second year?"

She nodded her head slightly, just enough so that Lucius knew she was answering him without alerting everyone around them to her spontaneously nodding away.

"Impressive."

Despite the cloak, she felt his breath tickle her neck letting her know he was standing behind her. A sudden shiver alerted Harry to something odd. He looked up.

"Everything okay?"

She nodded and went about her work with Lucius standing uncomfortably close behind her. If Hermione was having a hard time, Lucius was having a worse time. He knew this was his Hermione—it was in her every movement…in her every smile…in her eyes. Just as in his seventh year, she pulled her hair up off her neck during potions to keep any strands from contaminating a potion. As the atmosphere in the classroom heated, Hermione removed her robes, loosened her tie, and unbuttoned the top few buttons of her uniform.

Lucius watched her small delicate fingers move from one button to the next. As she waited for the time to add the next ingredient he watched her hand slowly make its way up to the back of her neck where she rubbed it slowly as if to sooth pain and stress. Lucius unconsciously licked his lips. As she peered into her cauldron again, an unruly curl popped out of its confinement in the back. Lucius was taking a chance, he knew. But Hermione's back was to a wall…no one could really see something so small behind her. A hand edged its way out of the invisibility cloak and reached out slowly.

Hermione felt Lucius' fingertips graze the back of her neck and he reached out toying with the stray curl. She froze when she felt the odd shiver travel through her despite the heat of the room and the ten degrees her body seemed to go up at that moment.

"What are you doing," she hissed causing Harry to look up. She smiled weakly at him to try to ease his discomfort. She could tell by the look on Harry's face that the concern was there. Harry's eyes shifted to behind Hermione as if he could see Lucius standing there. With his eyes narrowed on that spot Hermione had to wonder if Harry could see through invisibility cloaks too.

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The trio slowly left the dungeons heading for lunch in the Great Hall. Hermione was not really hungry, but knew if she didn't go with them they would start questioning her…well, Harry would anyway. She could feel the extra weight of Lucius' hand on her bag. Suddenly, Draco pushed roughly passed her. Anger flared in Lucius. No, not because he realized this was his Hermione…she was a Mudblood after all—a lying Mudblood at that. No, he was angry because he never taught his son to hit any female—Mudblood or not.

"Happy Birthday, Mudblood." Draco stopped in front of her cutting off her path. "So did your parents send you anything good…oh…wait…no, I guess they didn't." He smirked at the look of despair on Hermione's face. He leaned in a bit closer. "Oh…I am sure Aunt Bella sends you birthday wishes as well."

With a self-satisfied smirk, Draco stepped back. He was unprepared for what happened next. She hadn't realized her fists were balled up at her side until her fist flew threw the air and made sweet contact with Draco's nose. He stumbled back and in what sounded like a war cry, Hermione launched herself on the blond Slytherin. It was ten times worse than in her third year—she wanted to hurt Draco. Lucius did nothing but watch in amusement and amazement. Has she always been such a little firecracker? Even the first time he met her as an adult and her as a child? Yes, he answered himself.

Wide-eyed Harry and Ron rushed forward and each grabbed an arm and her waist, pulling her off Draco. Without her arms, she kicked her legs. Nothing was going to keep her from pounding the ferret. Trying to get himself off the floor, he sat up only to have Hermione's foot make one last furious contact with his nose.

"Hermione," Harry yelled as they pulled her away.

She calmed down enough to allow the boys to pull her away. Ron was shaking his head.

"Bloody scary is what you are," Ron mumbled on the way out of the dungeons.

Hermione was still catching her breath as other students parted to let them through still in shock at the mangled Malfoy. Warmth suddenly spread through her with a central point being her lower back—where Lucius had placed his hand.

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Lucius paced the cabin. He was finally alone in order to think. His world seemed to be spiraling out of control. He knew the Mudblood was the same as his Hermione, but it tore at him and caused him to bounce back and forth in his treatment of her. She was a Mudblood, but it did not stop the occasional moments of tenderness he felt for his Hermione of the past—the Hermione he thought he knew. McGonagall had made the announcement at lunch—a masquerade ball on Halloween.

That was when it would happen.

He had until Halloween to figure out how to stop it or make her go hating him more than ever.

Lucius looked up at the stairs leading to the loft. Curious as to what kept the girl up there so long that day, Lucius slowly traveled up the stairs. The large covered object in the center caught his curiosity as it had Hermione. Without hesitation, he removed the cover to stair into the Mirror of Erised.

Staring back at Lucius was the reflection of Hermione in a beautiful elegant gown—the gown she wore when he first met her…her gown for the masquerade.

The sound of flapping wings could not pull his eyes from the mirror. The owl swooped in and landed at Lucius feet. Reluctantly, Lucius looked down. Hermione's owl had returned with its response.


	8. Secrets

Disclaimer: Not mine, as you know.

A/N: Okay….so why is everyone so confused? Yes, I am not handing you everything on a silver platter…if I did not what would the fun of reading it be? But please review…even if its just to say you like it…it helps me to continue you know! Well, enjoy this bit. And please review!

**Chapter 8**

_Secrets_

_I watch you coming to me  
Walking in the pouring rain  
I can't help looking at you  
Wishing I could stay away  
So many times I've tried in vain  
To close my eyes and pray it goes away_

_--Heart_

Lucius stood transfixed on the image in the mirror. There was one major difference between the image in the mirror and the Hermione he found in his time—the image was of an unharmed Hermione. The memory of her state was interrupted by a hissing voice behind him.

"The Dark Lord knows you are still alive, Lucius."

Keeping his head held high, Lucius turned to look at his old friend.

"And I take it you are here to undo Miss Granger's fine work?"

One corner of his visitor's mouth turned up in the closest thing to a smile one could get from this particular man.

"No, that is not why I am here."

Silence surrounded them.

"Then why are you here, Severus?"

Severus looked around the cabin.

"Interesting little hide-out Lucius."

Lucius watched Severus slowly walk around the loft area and peer at boxes and odd objects here and there lying around. One box, in front of the mirror, was partially open with pictures spread on top. Severus reached down and picked one up. He quickly looked at the writing on the back with a quirked eyebrow at Lucius. Lucius snatched the picture from Severus. He froze as Severus surveyed him for his reaction. This picture was at Halloween. Someone sitting across from Lucius and Hermione had taken the picture—they had put their arms around each other for it. On the back was written 'Lucius and Hermione—Halloween 1971.'

Despite curiosity at what else that box held, Lucius dropped the picture back in the box. He would not give Severus the satisfaction of a reaction. Severus waited a moment before descending the stairs. Lucius stood at the railing of the loft and watched Severus pause at the door. Severus looked up at Lucius.

"The Dark Lord has drawn a line in the sand Lucius. Which side are _you_ on?"

Looking down his nose at Severus, Lucius' lip curled in a snarl.

"The same side I have always been on, Severus."

Severus nodded at Lucius. He held up a small phial filled with something white and swirling. Lucius recognized it as a memory.

"Just as I suspected, Lucius. I shall see you soon."

Severus placed the memory on the end table before walking out the door.

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Hermione sighed in frustration as she closed another book. She sat at her usual library table littered with various book. Harry peered over a stack of books at her. She seemed to be thinking. Her eyes grew wide.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of it before?"

"What?"

Hermione smiled quite pleased with herself.

"All these pictures were taken at Hogwarts. There is an entire section of Hogwarts' history and its students. We would have better luck looking through those books."

Harry nodded in agreement.

An hour later, Ron found Hermione and Harry both in the library laughing. He had not seen Hermione smile genuinely in so long that it took Ron back a moment. A brown leather bound book lay between them.

"What is so amusing in there?"

As Ron sat down, they told him what this book was. It was found in the Hogwarts section. There was a book for each year with a compilation of various stories dealing with anything from funny potion accidents to why some of the coffers in the Great Hall had to be replaced along with the archway entrance. The reason for bits of the Great Hall being replaced was what currently had Hermione and Harry in rolls of laughter. A duel took place during some sort of social event. Not just any duel—two seventh year girls from Slytherin had an all out war against each other. Only one name was given though—Bellatrix Black, now known as Bellatrix Lestrange.

As they left the library before curfew, Harry checked that particular book out. On their way back to the common room Harry and Ron began discussing an up coming Quidditch practice and at first did not notice Hermione's slowed pace. Her mind was racing through the cabin. The bookcases. There were several bookcases on one wall that reached the ceiling. Harry noticed Hermione's disappearance from their side and stopped, looking back at her.

"Did you just think of something, Hermione?"

She nodded her head.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I did. I have several large bookcases at the cabin. There may be something there."

Harry's forehead crinkled in confusion.

"That's strange. I don't have book cases."

"Me neither," chimed in Ron.

Hermione's curiosity was piqued.

"You don't? Then what do you have?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"Mostly just DADA stuff…there is one shelf with books, but its all defense stuff."

"Wicked," Ron said rather impressed. "I have a chess table and all kinds of different maps and such."

Hermione's eyes narrowed in deep thought as she began walking again. Harry and Ron looked at each other and then rushed to catch up with her. They knew that look. She was placing pieces of a Dumbledorian puzzle together. When she abruptly stopped, they nearly ran into her. She turned around.

"Don't you get it?"

They looked at each other, both clueless and shook their heads.

"These cabins Dumbledore left for us…they possess items that play to our strengths. We must search our cabins. He had to have left something there telling us what for."

Harry and Ron both wore looks of total enlightenment on their faces as they nodded in agreement. For that moment, it was as if their old Hermione was back.

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Lucius' jaunt to Hogwarts followed by the unexpected events involving the Mirror of Erised and Severus Snape left him exhausted. His eyes fluttered open when he heard the front door open and close. Hermione was there. She did not spare him a glance as she dropped her school bag and briskly walked to the extravagantly tall bookcases.

She let out a small squeal of excited accomplishment when she found a book right away on the bottom shelf. A small table was set up in front of the bookcases. She plopped down in the seat and immediately began thumbing through the book. It was a journal of sorts written by Dumbledore. The more she scanned the pages the more she discovered it to be a chronicling of sorts about the Order of the Phoenix and the fight against Voldemort.

Hermione ignored Lucius' presence in the room and he did not particularly like that. Climbing out of bed, he strode over to the little table. Lucius took a book off the shelf, not paying attention to what book and sat down across from Hermione. He knew she noticed his presence by the startled blink that accompanied his arrival. His mouth slowly turned up in a smirk.

"What ever has your rapt attention?"

Hermione cautiously looked up from the book at Lucius. There was a glint of amusement in Lucius' eyes that set her on edge. That couldn't be good.

"A chronicling of the Order of the Phoenix and the fight against Voldemort."

She turned back to the book not noticing how rigid Lucius suddenly became in his chair. His nerves prickled him wondering what the old coot put in that blasted thing. Hermione was too wrapped up in reading what the old Headmaster wrote. She was still reading about the first war. She noticed one thing—Dumbledore did not name the spies. Hermione knew—she had read and been told—there were several spies on both sides and one never knew who they were. Dumbledore knew of course, but even in this chronicle, he would not name a one. It drove her mad. The spies could have been anyone…

_Bloody hell!_ _Lucius could have been one…_

That stopped her train of thought as she burst into laughter. Lucius' eyebrow slowly rose as he watched her in her fit of laughter. What could the old coot write that was that amusing? Deciding to read for detail at another time, she quickly flipped through pages until she found any reference to the cabins. It finally happened. It was dated back in her, Harry's, and Ron's first year at Hogwarts.

_I have procured the first three cabins I will need in case Hogwarts can no longer be a safe haven for the children. These three cabins are the most important—keys to winning this impending war. A cabin of knowledge, a cabin of defense, and a cabin of strategy. Three students—nothing more than first years at this moment—will be leaders, my lieutenants if you will. An old spy of mine will help guide them. The cabins are set up outside of Hogwarts to allow muggle electronics to operate properly. A computer, as the muggles call them, is stored in each cabin. Communication will be accomplished without fear of interception by Lord Voldemort will be through these muggle contraptions. Each cabin has been christened with a most potent potion as well. This potion will not allow just anyone to enter. If one bares the Dark Mark in their heart, the cabin will not allow entrance. These children will be safe… _

Quickly grabbing a scratch piece of parchment Hermione marked the page and placed the book in her bag. She was piecing everything she read together in her mind. Still, she had found nothing of the pictures though. Sitting back down at the small table, Hermione glanced at the book Lucius was reading. Her eyes grew wide.

"That's a Dark Arts book!"

Lucius lowered the book and looked at her in a slightly disgruntled fashion. Standing up, he carried the book to the fireplace where he sat on the sofa. Hermione stood and looked at the bookcases. Farther up, almost out of reach were many…many Dark Arts books—not defense books. Lucius watched her indignation in amusement.

"Why would Professor Dumbledore have such books?"

Her back was to Lucius, so intrigued by the books before her. A slight tingling swelled in the pit of her stomach. These were books banned by Hogwarts…books she could not get without raising suspicion…books that held a knowledge she wanted desperately whether she would admit it aloud or not. Lucius heard the desire in the inflection of her voice…the awe at what was before her. She didn't hear Lucius cross the room. When he spoke, he was directly behind her causing Hermione to jump slightly at his sudden close proximity.

"Know thy enemy," his silky voice caressed her ear. She turned swiftly and jumped back, eyes wide in fright. He stood there looking down his nose at her. "Did I frighten you?" He took a step forward…she took one back…he took another step forward…she stepped back into the bookcase. Lucius' victorious smirk grew when Hermione gasped at the sudden contact of the bookcase. The whole mouse-trapped-by-the-cat look reminded Lucius of the first time he laid eyes on her. He understood now why she held such a look, but it did not curb his amusement at watching her squirm under his gaze. There was not enough room between them for Hermione to pull out her wand so she pulled out the only thing that could possibly hold enough ammunition to stop Lucius Malfoy.

She pulled the picture out of her pocket and held it up.

"Who is this?"

Her words were quick, panicked, and curious. Lucius' eyes narrowed on the couple in the picture. He was aware that Hermione recognized him; it was the girl she was questioning. He did the only thing he could think of to send her off the trail and further into her hate for him. He leaned in close and looked her in the eyes.

"Not you." He stood up straight again and walked away just a bit before turning back to look down his nose at her, a look of disgust at the mere thought on his face. "I assure you that girl is of no relation to you either."

She stepped away from the bookcase, confidence returning.

"How can you be so sure…"

"Because," Lucius said in a deadly whisper, "even in my youth I would _not _associate myself with a Mudblood."

Hermione stood there as if she had been slapped. Shaking her head, as if coming to her senses, she began to walk toward the door, picking her bag up on the way. She stopped at the door and turned around to look at Lucius.

"Just remember, Mister Malfoy, if it wasn't for that vile woman I would have left you to die."

She heard a slow, controlled chuckle from the man as he looked her in the eyes once again unsettling her very being.

"No, you would not have."

Without giving Lucius the satisfaction of a come back of any sorts, Hermione left the cabin. As the door snapped shut and he watched her disappear from the path, Lucius felt the searing pain in his left forearm—Voldemort was calling him home.

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Hermione stepped into the common room mumbling to herself in such a fashion that to others it sounded as if she were trying to speak parseltongue. Harry looked up from his homework at her entrance and shook his head. He knew where she had been. As she made her way to the table he sat at, a few second years scurried out of her way fearing what the Head Girl would do if they were in her way. Harry said nothing as she sat down, waiting for her to talk.

She crossed her arms over her chest in a huff before finally calming down enough to show Harry the chronicle of Dumbledore's. Harry read the passage and then looked up at Hermione.

"We'll have to search the cabins and get things set up so they are ready when needed."

For a time, Hermione was able to forget Lucius Malfoy residing in her cabin and tormenting her and concentrate on Harry's destiny and the fate of the Wizarding World. Harry also found it strange that Dumbledore would not mention any spies by name—it's not like this chronicle was meant for the public eye. They spent the remainder of the night toying with who the spies could be and seeing who could come up with the most ridiculous idea as to who they were.

But that is the thing with spies…it's always the last person you suspect.

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Lucius, on hands and knees groveling before the Dark Lord. It made his stomach churn. What had he become?

"Thank you, master…you are most forgiving…thank you."

Voldemort motioned for the man to stand.

"Yes, Lucius…my slippery friend. You have proven your loyalty well and as such, you will be rewarded…"

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Halloween morning found Hermione, Harry, and Ron walking into the Great Hall for breakfast. Excitement was in the air. Never had they had a masquerade, not since Lily and James Potter's first year at Hogwarts and even then, it was an unexpected affair. Girls huddled together whispering and running to other house tables. Boys looked pale and frightened. Hermione shook her head at it all. Ridiculous.

As they sat down, Hermione noticed Harry look at Ginny. They stared at each other for a moment before Ginny looked away. Hermione shook her head as she began to gather up some breakfast for herself.

"Really Harry! You are taking this whole noble thing too far."

Harry turned and looked at Hermione as if Voldemort had just sprung from the back of her head this time. She rolled her eyes, swallowed her toast down with some pumpkin juice, and turned to Harry.

"Do you honestly think Ginny is safer because she can no longer officially call you her boyfriend?"

Harry said nothing, just looked at Hermione with nothing short of deep contemplation on his face.

"Harry, she wasn't your girlfriend in second year when the chamber was open."

Ron leaned over Hermione.

"She does have a point mate."

Harry's eyes shifted to Ginny in defeat this time. The swooping sound of the post flying in caused the entire hall to look up. The Daily Prophet landed in front of Hermione and she paid the owl before it flew off. Unfolding the paper, Hermione took a drink of pumpkin juice only to begin choking on it. Harry began patting her on the back wondering what in the name of Merlin caused her to drown in pumpkin juice. All she could do was point at the paper. Harry picked it up. Lucius Malfoy's picture was on the front page with the headline: Lucius Malfoy Cleared of all Charges.


	9. Midnight

Disclaimer: not mine….nope.

A/N: please review so I know if you like it. Okay? Please?

**Chapter 9**

_Midnight_

_I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away  
I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

You've gone away, you don't feel me, anymore

_--Seether_

"Harry, I'm going to get ready for the masquerade."

Ginny leaned over and kissed Harry on the cheek. He looked up from the Chronicle Hermione had brought him and smiled with a slight blush upon his cheeks. Once Ginny was out of site, he turned to Hermione.

"So, does this mean Lucius Malfoy is not really a Death Eater?"

It seemed too unreal, but the passage about the Dark Mark made it appear so. Hermione was shaking her head.

"No, the potion applies to anyone walking in of their own accord." She handed him an open potion book describing and explaining the potion used. "He was injured and I personally brought him into the cabin, so the cabin will let him in."

Harry handed her the Chronicle back and Hermione knew that look on his face. The "see what you've done now" look. She really didn't want to hear it right then. Lucius had been acting strange the last time she was at the cabin—as if he didn't want to leave. Now that he was cleared of all charges, he was returning to the manor.

"Well, like Ginny, I need to go get ready."

Harry nodded.

"So, who are you going with?"

Hermione stood up, taking a deep breath, and swinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Malfoy. Head Boy and Girl are required to enter together. That is as far as this goes."

Harry chuckled as Hermione left through the portrait hole.

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She haunted his thoughts. He was a free man now. It was but hours ago when he found Hermione Granger curled up in front of the fireplace reading a Dark Arts book. She tried to hide it, but Lucius was not one of her little friends. He walked up to the loft. He wanted one more look at the image of Hermione in her gown before he left. It appeared nothing was happening that could cause her to arrive in the past in the shape she was in and even if she did…they were hardly friends so by the end of the night memories would be disappearing. You can't remember what never happened. Still, it did not stop him from wanting one last look.

"What are you doing?"

Her voice was soft and unsure. He turned around and looked into her haunted eyes. She still was not sleeping…the dark circles had become even more prominent lately and she was showing up more and more at the cabin as if she were isolating herself from everyone around her. A twinge of concern turned deep down, but Lucius successfully squashed it before speaking.

"Checking something that is not your concern."

Hermione's eyes flashed to the mirror Lucius was looking in. The mirror held an image of Lucius standing behind her with his arms wrapped protectively around her. Her eyes shifted to the real Lucius…nerves jumping. She knew no one but she could see the image, but it didn't matter. The simple fact that she was standing there with the person she saw in the mirror brought about a near breakdown. Then his silky voice filled the loft.

"I will be returning to the manor shortly. I thank you for the care you afforded me."

Hermione felt stunned. He was leaving? Well, of course he was leaving. She didn't want him here anyway. Her expression sent an odd chill and confusion through Lucius. She looked around nervously before leaving.

Now Lucius stood in the loft taking one last look again. His mind kept replaying the dumbstruck look on the girl's face when he told her he would return to the manor that evening. It was almost as if she did not want him to go. The mere thought was laughable. Shaking his head, Lucius pulled the phial Severus had left out of his pocket and looked at it. He would need to take care of this, he had a feeling he knew what it was, but not until after the masquerade. With one last look around the cabin, he disappeared.

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Hermione sat in her Head Girl's room preparing in silence for the masquerade. She knew, as she got ready that Lucius was preparing his departure from the cabin. A strange hollow feeling engulfed her. Did she not want him to go? No, that was not it. She had grown accustomed to escaping to the cabin and Lucius being there. They were not friends by any means…his mere presence was what she was accustomed to. He was well again and that is what mattered. Bellatrix Lestrange did not succeed. Pride swelled up in Hermione Granger. He would never appreciate her efforts of course. After all, he didn't miss a chance to remind her that no matter what she was a Mudblood.

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Lucius sat in the drawing room of the manor. The fire crackled in the fireplace illuminating the man with a strange glow as he sat before it. In one hand, he held the Italian made brandy snifter. Observing the brandy settling in the glass, he turned his attention to the mirror in his hand. Hermione was sitting before a mirror working on her hair. She had just pinned it up, leaving tendrils of curl dropping. It was just how he remembered it. Despite how distant and sunken her face appeared, she was beautiful to Lucius. Once he admitted this was his Hermione there was no going back and denying. All he could do is hope whatever sent her back would not occur or she would still hate him so much that friendship was not an option.

The silence in the manor was palpable. The sound of the fire crackling seemed to echo around Lucius as he placed the mirror down. He wanted one last dance before his memories of the past would become altered and maybe while he was there, he could prevent whatever event would occur to send her back. It was a final effort, but one he felt in every fiber of his being that had to be done.

Standing up, he began to pace in front of the fireplace and debate whether to bother or not. Why should he go and try to get one last dance with this girl? If his memories altered after tonight it would not matter. He stopped and looked at the brandy in his glass again. Closure…it was all about closure. If he could not stop it from happening, if she still went back, and she still befriended him then he would finally have his closure after all these years. Throwing the brandy, glass and all, into the flames Lucius swept from the room in search of ending this charade.

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The Great Hall was decorated brilliantly for Halloween. Hagrid's great pumpkins hung in the air alight with candles. Each mini table was a colorful candy land of treats. What there was of the student body waited inside the Great Hall with the professors and guests. Outside, lined up with their partners, were the prefects and last in line were Draco and Hermione. Neither one looked eager to share this experience. Why couldn't they choose who to go with? But they were suppose to be setting an example. Hermione glanced at the prefects before her. Everyone had some sort of mask on…some you could still tell who they were, but others you were not quite sure.

Lucius stood in front of the head table with all the other professors and guests. His hair was pulled back in his notorious black ribbon and a black mask adorned the upper portion of his face. With his hood up, his hair could not be seen and one could wonder who this man is. He smiled at that thought as he watched the prefects file in and take their places on the dance floor. He smiled in pride as his son stepped in through the door and his breath caught at the site of Hermione on his arm.

Hermione was the pure vision of midnight. Her dress was such a deep midnight blue, coupled with the silvery threading and beading that one was given the illusion of a starry midnight sky. A wrap made of the same sheer material of the skirt portion of her gown was the only thing to cover her arms. The silver threading in the wrap made it appear that she was wrapped in the stars. Her mask did not hide her by any means, but accented her eyes beautifully. The entirety of the student body, professors, and guests watched the notorious couple enter the dance floor.

"I can't believe I have to enter with you."

She was smiling but her words were not kind.

"And I want to touch a Mudblood?"

They maintained appearances, looking like they were happy and getting along. If only they could all hear their conversation.

"Git."

They stepped onto the dance floor.

"Mudblood."

They reached the center, where they were to begin their dance.

"Ferret."

They turned to face each other.

"Shut up and dance Granger."

He grabbed her roughly, as the classical music began. Together, the Head Boy and Girl with the prefects opened the dance in the illusion of unity and friendship. Many eyes were on the Head Boy and Girl though. Their dancing became bold and aggressive, as if they were competing against each other. Their insults did not stop despite their dancing though.

"I'll need to use a cleansing spell after this."

He twirled her out and around.

"Don't be daft, Malfoy."

He pulled her back to him rather roughly.

"Filthy Mudblood."

He lifted her and turned, placing her feet back on the ground.

"Coward."

He twirled her back out and as he brought her back in brutally he smirked remembering Snape's words one year that brought tears to her eyes.

"Insufferable know-it-all," he drawled slowly.

He turned her around again and brought her back to him to end the dance. Facing each other with hate in both their eyes, she actually sneered at him.

"Death Eater," she said vehemently.

His eyes narrowed at her as the surrounding students clapped and sat back down. Draco led Hermione to the head table where they were to eat with the professors and guests. They had a seat on either side of the Headmistress. Draco pulled out Hermione's chair that sat between the Headmistress and one of the guests. As she sat down, Draco pushed the chair forcefully under her causing her to grab the table to keep in it. He leaned down between Hermione and the guest and whispered in her ear.

"Do not talk about things you know nothing about, Mudblood or your _friends _might stumble across your cold corpse."

The cold grey eyes of the guest turned toward Draco as he stood. Draco noticed them briefly feeling an odd feeling wash over him. He knew those eyes and that look of total disappointment. But it couldn't be, his father would be the last person invited to such an event. Hermione's laughter broke him out of his train of thought and he looked at her curious and furious. She leaned in Draco's direction slightly and spoke loud enough for him to hear the amusement and disdain in her voice.

"You couldn't even kill Dumbledore what makes you think _you_ can kill _me_?"

With a smile of amusement still on her face, Hermione turned around in her seat, turning her back on Draco with an air of superiority about her. The strange guest next to hear could not stop the smile that formed in the corner of his mouth.

"Mister Malfoy, take your seat."

The Headmistress was waiting on Draco with an untrusting look on her face. Nodding curtly to the Headmistress, Draco took his seat on her other side and the feast began.

As Hermione ate, she took a sideways glance at the guest next to her. He had not said a word to anyone and she grew curious as to who this was. The black mask he wore covered the upper portion of his face and his hood up kept his hair out of site. But his lips…they looked familiar. She noticed how he kept them in such a thin line when he looked toward anyone and spoke quietly, but they were different when he wasn't. When he thought no one was looking, when he was relaxed, his lips had a slight fullness, pouty look to them.

She had seen lips just like those on an unconscious man—Lucius Malfoy. She turned her head to get a full look, positive she was wrong. The man saw her turn and turned to look back at her. The cold grey eyes that met her through the mask were all the answer she needed.

When the plates were cleared from the tables and students, professors, and guests began mingling and dancing to the music Lucius watched Hermione rise from her seat and disappear in the crowd. He knew where she was going though and he kept his eye on the table Potter and Weasley sat at. Sure enough, in just a few minutes, Hermione appeared. He watched as Ron said something to her and then left for the dance floor with Lavender. He watched as Harry said something to her and then looked over her shoulder and directly at Lucius only to nod curtly as if letting Lucius know that he knew he was there. Then, he watched Harry say something to Ginny, who nodded and then led Hermione to the dance floor.

With a slight sneer on his face, Lucius left the head table. He watched her from the shadows realizing this is what she looked like before she came to him out of nowhere. This is what she had been doing. He watched her dance with Harry, Ron, Neville, and many others Lucius did not know and had no desire to know. Part of him was totally disgusted with himself, but his was not just watching some Mudblood. It was letting go of the past.

Hermione thanked Neville for the dance and turned to leave. She stopped when she saw the masked Lucius Malfoy standing there. Neville, sensing Hermione's hesitation and curious as to who this person was remained where he was at waiting to see that all was well. Hermione and Lucius' eyes locked for what felt like an eternity, but was really no more than a few seconds. Reaching out, Lucius removed the wrap from around her arms and handed it to a very silent Neville as he pulled Hermione against him.

Neville made his way back to the table and gently placed Hermione's wrap on one of the chairs.

"Who was that," Ron asked his fellow Gryffindor.

"I don't know."

They turned to watch the couple, but Harry knew…he knew who it was and as he watched them he could not get the picture Hermione had shown him out of his head. He had a feeling the Hermione in the picture and his friend was one in the same.

Lucius said not one word as he pulled Hermione against him and twirled her around the dance floor. In Lucius' mind, this was a farewell dance. Hermione's heart pounded in excitement and fear from the moment Lucius pulled her to him. It was another one of Lucius' strange moments to her. No one seemed to recognize the man she was dancing with as she noticed briefly the looks of curiosity that followed them.

It didn't take long for everything around Hermione to fall away. As Lucius twirled her as if she were nothing more than an extension of his own body and dipped her back her chest heaved in her quick excited breath. Lucius' eyes traveled up her chest, neck…lips, as he brought her back up and locked eyes with her once again. No one else existed at that moment…for either of them.

She was enraptured in his arms. Comforting warmth traveled through her strangely reminiscent of the feeling she had in her dream. It was easy to forget this was _the _Lucius Malfoy. Whispers traveled around them. Most had no idea who this strange man was that was dancing with their Head Girl. A couple people did know however.

Harry watched them with a strange curiosity. He denied knowing who it was, not sure if anyone could really take the reality of the truth. For a moment he could see a shadow of the couple he saw in that picture. On the other side of the room was one Draco Malfoy. His eyes followed the Head Girl with this strangely familiar man. The way the man moved and the eyes that bore into the Head Girl's were unmistakable. Draco had not seen those eyes in a couple years, but he had a feeling he was correct. His father was dancing with Hermione Granger as if she were a part of his very soul. Draco looked across the dance floor and saw Harry watching with a look of comprehension on his face. Harry felt Draco's eyes on him. From across the dance floor green eyes met eyes of steel grey and an understanding occurred in both of them. With a nod, they knew the other knew who the masked man was.

Hermione felt suddenly cold when Lucius pulled away as the song ended. He still didn't speak, choosing only to nod his head as if to say "thanks for the dance." She stood there staring at him in slight confusion. What was going on? Then she noticed him take a sharp intake of breath as if something were suddenly causing him pain. His face, very controlled, his eyes glanced down to his left forearm as if he could see through the fabric. Hermione's eyes grew wide as he swiftly left the Great Hall.

A thousands thoughts filled Hermione's mind as she watched Lucius leave the Great Hall. She knew what the sudden pain was and the reason he ran out of the Great Hall—Lord Voldemort was calling his supporters and like a good little Death Eater Lucius ran. What she couldn't understand was the reason he danced with her in such a way. Death Eaters killed her family and he was still one no matter what. Her heart pounded heavy and hard in her chest. She looked around her. Everyone was back to minding their own business. Grabbing the skirt of her dress so as not to trod on it, Hermione ran from the Great Hall.

Lucius stood outside in the shadows of the castle hesitating to leave. He heard the doors bang open and saw the midnight vision of Hermione run out looking panicked, frantic, worried. The moonlight cast down on her as she looked around in a circle for any sign of her masked dance partner. He watched her skin glow in contrast to her dress in the moonlight. Before he placed his fingers on the Dark Mark and disappeared, he saw her turn and run back into the castle mumbling to herself.

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Hermione was not in the best of moods once the masquerade was over. The prefects didn't want to help clean up, the Head Boy had vanished, and everyone kept harassing her about the mystery man she danced with. She refused to answer any questions stating he did not as much as say one word to her. On her way back to the common room, she passed a set of windows that looked out at the forbidden forest. She wanted to go to the cabin and think. She needed to go to the cabin and think. Turning the serpent, she disappeared.

Lucius watched Hermione making her way up the path. She didn't look happy.

"Here she comes."

Lucius backed back into the shadows inside the cabin to watch her entrance. The door opened, but Hermione seemed to be having difficulty with it. She was having problems opening the door and holding her dress so as not to step on it at the same time. It resulted in an odd jerking action of the door, resulting in Hermione literally bringing the door back to her as she was coming through. The door promptly hit her with a resounding thud.

"Ow! Bloody Hell!"

She brought her hand up over the area hit right above her eye. Lucius watched with concern and dread.

_She wasn't lying when she said she walked into a door._

He knew it could happen any moment and he was there to stop it. She heard him shuffle his feet and jumped looking in the corner of the room. Closing the door, she couldn't help wondering why he was skulking in the shadows as if he were Snape. She also had enough sense to know there was more to the picture she showed him than he was letting on. What else could explain that dance and his behavior?

"What the bloody hell was that all about? I want answers!"

She stepped further into the room and stopped abruptly as fear coursed through her veins. Standing next to Lucius was Severus Snape, Dumbledore's murderer. The color drained from her face as she began to back away. She knew Lucius was a Death Eater, but to bring _him _to her after she took care of him was just cruel.

"How could you?"

Her voice was weak and frightened as she pointed at Severus, looking at Lucius. He could see the betrayal in her eyes.

_Good._

Lucius reached out and grabbed her upper arm tightly. She yelped in pain and tried to get away, but he only tightened his grip.

"You served your purpose, Mudblood."

"No," she shook her head in denial. "No!" She jerked her arm as hard as she could back. Hermione felt her world spin as she stumbled back and felt the awkward landing her foot took as it met a stack of books on the floor. Lucius watched in horror and defeat as Hermione Granger fell backward over those books, her time-turner flying up in the air, still around her neck. As she began to land just in front of the fire, barely missing falling into it, the time-turner flew sideways, crashing into the stone of the fireplace. Lucius watched it shatter. Hermione was gone.

In what was a panic for a Malfoy, he turned to Severus.

"Get out quickly, before she returns."


	10. The Girl

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Hello? Is anyone out there? Well, if there is sorry about this chapter…its more of an introduction to this next stage of the Lucius/Hermione relationship. More…much more stuff in the next chapter. So please review and let me know you are at least reading it. It keeps the inspiration going!

**Chapter 10**

_The Girl_

_You know the day destroys the night  
Night divides the day  
Tried to run  
Tried to hide  
Break on through to the other side  
Break on through to the other side   
Break on through to the other side, yeah_

_--The Doors_

Lucius was the last one left in the Slytherin common room. Darkness had long since fallen over the grounds of Hogwarts, but then in the common room under the lake it always appeared dark. Glancing into the dying fire, he tossed his DADA book back into his school bag. Throwing his bag on his shoulder, he headed up to his Head Boy room. Closing the door, he warded it behind him. He was headed to the Victorian desk sitting across his room when she arrived.

It was as if she came out of nowhere. She just appeared—a vision in a beautiful midnight blue ball gown…on his bed. He stopped and turned just looking at her in astonishment. It was every teenage boy's fantasy—a girl appearing in his bed. This left him dumbstruck though. Hermione knew immediately what had happened. Her time-turner broke and now…now she appeared to be in a young Lucius Malfoy's Head Boy room. The younger version of the man that was attacking her when it broke. Fear still coursed through her as he took a step toward her and she scurried backward off the bed.

Lucius took a step forward curious how she got there. He sat his bag on the floor and took a step. She was a beautiful mess. There was a dark bruise forming just above her eye to the right and a large hand print size bruise on her right upper arm. He could feel the fear pouring from her, as she shook her head no and scurried back off the bed. The moment her left foot touched the ground, she collapsed.

His brow furrowed as the petite girl disappeared on the ground on the other side of the bed. He rushed over and saw her holding her ankle in tears. It was swollen. Lucius wondered what happened to the girl…who did this to her…who was she?

Hermione couldn't believe this was happening to her. Of all the places to land, it had to be Lucius Malfoy's room and she had to be in such a condition that she could not run. She looked up with teary eyes as Lucius appeared slowly from around the bed. There wasn't much difference between this Lucius and the older one. The main difference being he looked younger and less strained; size-wise he wasn't much smaller.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

He bent down and scooped her up in his arms effortlessly. She gasped in shock.

"I'm just taking you to Madam Pomfrey. She'll be able to fix you up."

Hermione nodded fearing what her voice would sound like if she spoke. Why couldn't she have ended up in the Gryffindor common room? No, instead she ends up in enemy territory. She briefly took in her surroundings as Lucius moved through the castle. It looked the same…exactly the same no matter what year it was.

Lucius stepped into the hospital wing and looked around regally.

"Madam Pomfrey?"

The medi-witch that Hermione knew from her time stepped out of her office. Upon seeing Hermione in Lucius' arms, she rushed over and ushered Lucius to one of the beds. Hermione had not said a word and did not appear as if she was going to any time soon. Madam Pomfrey noticed this and after taking in Hermione's appearance, she turned to Lucius.

"Who is this young lady, Mister Malfoy?"

"I do not know. I found her in my bed."

Madam Pomfrey turned and glared disapprovingly at Lucius who returned the look with a "you-know-what-I-mean" look. Shaking her head, she looked the girl over and then walked over to the fireplace. Tossing in a pinch of floo powder, she crouched down on her hands and knees.

"Headmaster, you are needed in the hospital wing."

Standing up and brushing any floo powder off her clothes, the medi-witch turned back to the girl. She pointed at a chair next to the bed.

"Mister Malfoy, sit there. The Headmaster will be here momentarily."

With a curt nod, he sat and waited. He watched the medi-witch as she shook her head. Everything she tried to heal the girl's bruises didn't work. The doors opened and Lucius turned to see the Headmaster entering with a small smile on his face. Lucius quickly stood.

"Nothing I do is healing her bruises or that ankle."

Hermione stared in shock at Dumbledore, alive and well, standing before her observing her. He smiled warmly at her. He nodded slightly.

"Ah, I think I may know why. Just do what you can for now, Madam Pomfrey." He then turned to look at the Head Boy. "When she is done, Mister Malfoy, please escort our guest to my office."

Lucius nodded. In no more than a few minutes later, Madam Pomfrey was handing Hermione a set of crutches.

"Being as I cannot heal it properly, you will have to let it heal the muggle way."

Hermione simply smiled her thanks and began to stand, using the crutches. From there, Hermione followed Lucius out of the hospital wing and toward the Headmaster's office. Halfway there she realized Lucius was not speeding ahead of her, but had actually slowed his gate as if he were allowing her to walk with him, not behind him. Still thinking about how odd that was, her mind wondered to the Headmaster. She was shocked to see him standing there, even though she knew he would be the Headmaster. It was like seeing him rise from the grave.

Lucius kept looking at her sideways on the way to the Headmaster's office. Lucius was not slow and had a feeling as to why her wounds could not be healed and why she just suddenly appeared…after all, around her neck was a broken looking time-turner. There was something different about her…he could just feel it. Once they reached the gargoyle entrance, he stopped.

"Blood-pops."

The gargoyle stepped aside revealing the staircase. He reached out to take her arm in order to help her on the stairs. His hand wrapped around her upper arm and that is how he noticed. The bruises around her upper arm where obviously from someone grabbing her and that someone had hands the exact same size as Lucius' hands. He stared in awe at the perfect fit his hand made over those bruises. A panic rose in her eyes. Not wanting to question her then, he moved his hand down and gently helped her onto the stairs.

Hermione felt tears welling up in her eyes at the site of Dumbledore. Silently, she made her way across the room to one of the chairs that sat before his desk. Lucius sat in the other. Nothing was said at first. Dumbledore just looked at her and Hermione knew that he knew. He always seemed to know.

"Your wounds cannot be healed because they did not occur in this time."

She nodded her head in understanding. Her eyes darted over the room taking in every detail she could.

"How did you end up here?"

Now her eyes darted around nervously and Dumbledore noticed them linger for a fearful moment on the Head Boy. When she spoke, it was low and hoarse as if she had not used it in a while or had been yelling at the top of her lungs only moments ago.

"I went to my cabin just off Hogwart's grounds."

Dumbledore looked at her curiously.

"A cabin? How did you, as a student, acquire a cabin off grounds?"

She looked at him with a stab of pain and the truth of how she acquired such a cabin. She looked down at the hands she was playing with in her lap. Her voice dropped to a saddened whisper.

"You left it to me, sir."

When she looked up, the Headmaster was smiling and nodding his head understandingly. He indicated for her to continue.

"I was attacked when I entered. When I fell back my time-turner broke against the stone of the fireplace."

Dumbledore sat up in concern.

"You were attacked? By who?"

He watched her eyes shift sideways to Lucius and then nervously around the room again.

"Death Eaters, sir."

Dumbledore nodded his head.

"We will be able to send you to your own time…but right now I need your name so you can attend classes in your time here."

Hermione nodded and once again, her eyes shifted to Lucius. She could not say her real name…not in its entirety. The day Draco went home complaining about her, Lucius would remember. Then Slughorn's continued questions of her relation to a certain potioneer rose in her memory.

"Hermione…Dagworth-Granger."

Dumbledore nodded with an odd knowing smile and twinkle in his eyes.

"You will be sorted tomorrow morning at breakfast."

"Sorted!" Hermione seemed to come to life at the mention of being sorted causing Lucius to jump slightly at her outburst. "Surely I can just remain in the house I was in in my own time."

Dumbledore shook his head no.

"I am sorry, but experience changes people and this would be best."

Hermione sat in the chair across from her missed Headmaster, next to one of her attackers feeling utterly defeated.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Hermione woke the next morning to find a school bag full of books. She was not looking forward to being sorted. It left her with a strange foreboding that she could not explain. She was a Gryffindor; why not just place her in Gryffindor? With her books over her shoulder, she struggled down the corridor on crutches.

The early morning sun shone through windows of the castle casting beams of light along her way. It seemed so surreal to her. She struggled on down the corridor. When her bag slipped from her shoulder, she moved her hand to place it back up, but dropped one of her crutches in the process. She wanted to cry.

Lucius was in the corridor heading toward her guest room when he saw her struggling now with only one crutch. Her face appeared sunken and she was so pale. She looked like someone who had been through more than most in their lifetime. The bruise above her eye served to make her face appear paler and the one around her arms made her look thinner than she was. As he headed toward her he couldn't help but feel a slight rage boiling that someone had done this to her.

He reached over, took her bag off her shoulder, and picked up her crutch, handing it to her. She smiled warily at him as if she was unsure if his kind gesture was sincere or not. As they headed down the corridor in silence, Hermione began to wonder about this young Malfoy. He carried himself as he would when he is older—with an air of superiority, which he felt is rightfully his. It was amazing, even at seventeen years old he possessed a powerful intimidating presence.

The stool and sorting hat awaited Hermione in the Great Hall. Dumbledore stood when he saw her enter with Lucius.

"Students! We have a new arrival to be sorted!" Everyone turned toward the entrance of the Great Hall and Hermione squirmed slightly under their scrutiny. Her eyes drifted to the Gryffindor table. At the end of the table was a small red head girl of about eleven years old. She seemed shy, yet comfortable with the girls sitting with her. Next to the girls sat a lone boy with sandy hair who looked pale as if the full moon was approaching. In the middle of the table sat three very familiar, but much much younger boys with their heads together whispering. Hermione smiled slightly…they were so cute that young.

Lucius helped the girl up to the stool as Dumbledore announced her name and the school politely clapped. She sat delicately on the stool feeling waves of nausea wash over her reminding her of her first year when she was sorted. Professor McGonagall sat the hat slowly on her head and everyone waited.

"Hmm…I see you've been sorted before…yes, I see…it's all here in your head. Yes, but the house you were in and where you now belong are no longer the same…no, I see…"

Hermione felt panicked as the hat whispered into her ear so only she could hear. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she waited.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Professor McGonagall removed the hat as a tumultuous of applause came from the Slytherin table. Hermione felt frozen to her seat.

_No! This cannot be happening! I am Muggleborn for Merlin's sake!_

A shock settled in her body as Lucius led her to the table and to a seat next to him. Slytherins all around greeted her as one of their own. She wondered if they would be so congenial if they knew she was not a pureblood, not even a half? Looking at the faces around her, she contemplated her choices here. Her eyes fell on a rather small eleven-year-old sitting alone at the end of the table. His black hair hung like a curtain around his small face. It was her other attacker, Severus Snape. No, she would keep her Muggle-born status to herself.

Lucius watched her eye everyone at the table with a mingled expression of curiosity and fear, of all things. He couldn't understand why. She didn't talk, didn't say much at all, and the sadness that draped over her like a curtain of silk pulled him further into her mystery. It wasn't until he introduced her to some of the other Slytherins that Lucius saw a spark of something in her eyes.

Hermione stared into her face…she could feel the hate flashing in her eyes. The girl's black hair draped over her shoulder as her dark eyes narrowed on Hermione. Lucius could feel it around them—tension that screamed out an absurd amount of dislike between these two when they just met. Hermione stared at her contemplating all the ways to destroy her before she could do any real damage to those around her. Next to this dark haired girl sat a sixth year Slytherin—the girl's sister though she looked to be the exact opposite of the elder girl. Bellatrix and Narcissa Black. Together they possessed such sharp angular features that Hermione was reminded of a Picasso painting.

The uncomfortable silence that followed traveled down the Slytherin table. Lucius stood up bidding both Narcissa and Bellatrix a goodbye and slung both his bag and Hermione's over his shoulder. Holding out a hand, he helped the mysterious girl up and onto her crutches.

"Our classes are the same," he said in response to the questioning look on her face. The two "strangers" walked through the corridors, Lucius a step or two ahead of her. Lucius was curious about this girl and decided to at least try a conversation.

He pointed toward the bruise on her eye.

"So, who did that one?"

She looked up at him and in a very serious voice, she answered.

"I ran into a door."

She watched one corner of Lucius' mouth turn up into a sneer of amusement. Apparently, he did not believe her and she couldn't blame him. It did sound like a lie. She didn't argue with him about it though.

_One day you will know I was telling the truth._


	11. Release

Disclaimer: Not mine as you know.

A/N: okay….please review? Please? I hope you enjoy this chapter! There is one maybe two chapters of her being in the past left…and before you ask—Hermione does not fall in love with Lucius in the past it is simply the catalyst for what is to come. Okay…so…don't forget to review after you read!

**Chapter 11**

_Release_

_Cold late night so long ago  
When I was not so strong you know  
A pretty man came to me  
Never seen eyes so blue  
I could not run away  
It seemed we'd seen each other in a dream  
It seemed like he knew me  
He looked right through me  
"Come on home, girl" he said with a smile  
"You don't have to love me yet  
Let's get high awhile  
But try to understand  
Try to understand  
Try try try to understand  
I'm a magic man."_

_--Heart_

A week passed by with this mysterious girl new to Slytherin. Lucius was seen by her side everywhere, carrying her bag as she hopped along after him on the crutches. Lucius was naturally curious about her, but also a tad concerned. The girl was a mystery, yes, but she wore her dark blanket of sadness as if it could protect her from everything around her.

Hermione wore her Slytherin uniform with the thought that it was nothing short of pure treason. Still, that did not compare to the thought that she shared a dorm room with her parents' murderer. And to Hermione's horror she was the resident Know-it-all of their year, so Hermione's presence was not very welcome by Bellatrix. They didn't like each other from the start and Hermione could not look at her without wanting to cast an unforgivable right then. The anger rolled off her, baptizing her in its poison. To make matters worse, Lucius Malfoy was being the perfect gentleman. She hobbled through the corridor with him and seriously thought about turning to him and saying, "hey guess what? I'm Muggle-born." She wanted to just to see his shocked expression that would soon turn to disgust. Then she would be left alone and some company was better than none at this point. It drove her nuts to see how kind he could be to her, though he still had his moments with those around him, and to know that when she returned he would still be her sworn enemy.

Still Hermione remained distant and quiet around Lucius. Why be drawn into him when she knew what kind of man he would grow to be if he wasn't already that man? That all changed in a darkened corner of the library one evening.

It was the first time she left the Slytherin common room without Lucius in the lead. Lucius said nothing as he watched her over the book he was reading. She placed her bag over her shoulder in a way that would prevent it from falling and slowly stood up taking hold of her crutches. She slowly made her way across the common room to the portrait without speaking to anyone. He waited about an hour and when she had not returned, Lucius left to follow her to the library.

Hermione was in a corner of the library that was rarely used. The books were just a step away from being placed in the restricted section. The tombs were old and dusty from their lack of use. The sun had long set and little light flowed into the corner she was searching. The book she was searching for should be in that dark corner and she knew that, but was having difficulty finding it. In exasperation, she looked up and found it on a shelf above her head.

Reaching her hand up she found she just couldn't reach it while holding on to her crutches. Biting her bottom lip as she looked around, she resigned herself to what she would have to do in order to reach the book. Slowly, she placed her crutches against the table that sat in that corner. Taking the two hops required to reach the shelves, she chanted to herself "don't fall…don't fall."

Licking her lips in nervous anticipation, she looked up at the desired book. With everything she could, she jumped on one foot and reached for the book. She still missed the book and to her horror, when she landed on her one good foot, she felt her ankle begin to buckle under her weight.

Lucius saw her jump and knew it was no good. He reached her side as she began to fall. Strong arms wrapped around Hermione, keeping her from falling and causing another painful injury. Relief washed over her as she realized someone had caught her. Looking up from her savior's chest, she met the steely gray eyes of Lucius Malfoy. One corner of his mouth turned up reminding Hermione of the smirk he would have later in his life and one eyebrow rose as he looked at her.

"Falling for me now are you?"

She placed her hand on his chest and pushed her self upright again. She hobbled to the table and sat down. When Lucius sat down across from her, he had her desired book.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He nodded politely to her. She eyed him from across the table. It was so strange to be sitting there with a seventeen-year-old Lucius. He seemed much nicer than the older one she knew, but she was witness to shades of his older self. In potions he would openly sneer in disgust at the Gryffindors…the word Mudblood was used often in reference to others only increasing Hermione's fear…the man he would become would rear its ugly head and it saddened Hermione. Still, as she looked at him, there were shades of the man he could become if he so chose.

He sat across from her, having not grabbed his robes when he left, wearing his school uniform with his tie undone and his shirt partially unbuttoned. She had to admit he was attractive…even the elder version of him was attractive. Curiosity tore through her as she tentatively reached for his arm across the table. He watched her, letting her take his left arm in her hand. Her hands looked so small against his arm and he felt the corner of his mouth curve up once again. What she did was totally unexpected.

Hermione slid the unbuttoned sleeve of his shirt up to reveal his forearm. He felt her fingers brush his skin as she did so. Hermione just stared at the flesh under the sleeve. Slowly, warily, her fingers reached out and caressed the unmarked skin. Lucius felt the heat from her fingers tingle against his skin and send chills up his arm. A small smile graced her lips.

From that moment on Hermione did not distant her self as much from Lucius. She had her sad quiet isolating moments, but Lucius was the one to approach her and pull her back to him. He was her best friend and she was his best friend…best friend with secrets. He tried almost daily to get information from her, but it never worked.

"So tell me…do we know each other in the future?"

They were sitting in the library in a secluded corner. She looked up at him with a slight look of exasperation and rolled her eyes.

"Lucius, we have been through this. I cannot answer that…it could create problems."

Lucius sighed in defeat. His book was open in front of him, but his eyes were on the girl deep in thought nibbling on her sugar quill. A flash drew his attention to a few feet away where some little Hufflepuff stood with a camera. Lucius shot out of his chair and accosted the poor boy. Holding the boy by his shirt against the book shelves he snarled at the Hufflepuff.

"You will bring me every picture you took of me or Hermione is that clear?"

The boy was frantically nodding his head. Before anything else could be done, Hermione was standing behind Lucius with her hands on her hips.

"Lucius, put that boy down this instant."

Looking back at her, he smiled sweetly and he let his grip go on the boy causing the kid to fall flat on his arse. Hermione walked off shaking her head and mumbling to herself.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Hermione lay in her four-poster feeling slightly panicked as Bellatrix and the other girls walked into the dorm room. She lay staring at the ceiling, taking in every sound around her as if her life depended on it. She couldn't help the ultimate fear that gripped her heart preventing sleep from clouding her vision. In the bed next to her, was the woman that would grow to kill her parents—what if Hermione fell asleep and was murdered in her sleep? Once again, not being able to relax in a bed next to Bellatrix, Hermione silently made her way down to the common room.

It seemed the only thing still awake in the common room was the fire until she saw the pale blond head of a certain Slytherin sitting on the sofa. Lucius looked up smiling slightly at the site of her. Returning the smile, she sat on the sofa, curling her legs up to her. Lucius lifted the book he was reading up slightly as Hermione lowered her head to rest on his lap. This was a usual night in the Slytherin common room for those two…it was what happened every night.

She felt so warm and safe when she fell asleep like that, but that would not happen tonight. Lucius motioned for her to sit for a moment and she did with mingled curiosity and worry on her face. She looked in his face and realized with much guilt that these nights in the common room were wearing Lucius out.

"I wish you could tell me what frightens you so," he whispered.

She smiled at him, but said nothing. He nodded as if accepting that she was not quite ready to tell her.

"Okay…come to my Head Boy room with me." He held up his hand cutting off the protest about to escape her open mouth. "I don't mean it that way. You need some sleep as do I."

Licking her lip in a nervous habit, she nodded her head okay and allowed Lucius to lead her up the stairs to the Head Boy room.

As they stepped into the room, Lucius pointed toward the bed as if instructing her to go to bed. A slight giggle escaped her lips as she wondered what it would look like for the adult Lucius Malfoy to be doing this. Lucius stood there watching her climb into the bed giggling.

"And what is so funny?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing."

He heard her stifle another giggle before the room became silent.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Even in her sleep, she looked sad. It was the one time he could really see it, unhindered. In her waking moments, the sadness was smothered, muted by the anger rolling off her. It did not take long for Lucius to notice the presence of Bellatrix Black seemed to exacerbate the waves of anger. It did not matter that they were in the same house…there was definitely no love there. Bellatrix's dislike for this new Slytherin grew tremendously in one DADA class that Lucius found hard to ever forget.

It was the first DADA class since Hermione was off the crutches. Fridays were practical days in DADA and that meant dueling in this case. Hermione had not been able to participate the first time due to her ankle creating problems for her to stand and hold a wand accurately at the same time. Now…now the professor was all a flutter, anxious to see if Hermione was as well at the practical as she was at the theoretical.

Hermione stood at the front of the class waiting rather impatiently for the professor to decide whom she would duel. Hermione's eyes wondered over to where Lucius sat and she rolled her eyes. The professor was tapping her chin making an odd sound here and there as if ticking people off a list in her mind. Finally, with an eerie smile, the professor called for Hermione's dueling partner.

"Miss Black please come up here."

Bellatrix walked to the front of the class with an evil smile that smacked of the crazy smile she would later develop in life. Hermione's lips formed into a thin line of dislike. The rest of the class leaned forward in excitement. It was no secret the disdain these two Slytherins had for each other. The class waited with bated breath as they faced each other…each barely bowing to the other. Hermione took her steps back and as she turned to face Bellatrix again she immediately cast a shielding charm.

Hermione knew how Slytherins dueled. After all, she watched Draco and Harry duel in her second year. She saw the turquoise light of a spell bounce off Hermione's shield and she immediately cast the first spell that came to mind. Hermione couldn't help the smile that formed on her face as she stared at the petrified Bellatrix. The class was as silent as they had ever been. Hermione's eyes quickly looked toward the class and they all had the same awestruck look on their faces.

"Excellent," exclaimed the professor. "And non-verbally too! Wonderful! Please take a seat!"

As Hermione walked back to her seat the professor lifted the spell and Bellatrix made her way to her seat fuming mad. When Hermione took her seat next to Lucius, she felt him lean over and whisper into her ear.

"She never saw it coming."

A smile flitted across Hermione's face. Her anger did not subside after that however, and Bellatrix's unexplained anger toward Hermione seemed to increase ten-fold. The anger that was building between these two girls could be felt in the corridors when they passed each other or when they sat in the same classroom. It was like a wave building higher and higher and everyone watched…waiting for it to crash over them all.

Halloween would prove to be the breaking point.

The school was all abuzz about the ball that evening…the last ball Hogwarts had before Hermione's year. This was not a masquerade however and for that, Lucius was quite thankful because he did not think she would look nearly as beautiful if a mask obscured her face. In the days before the ball, Lucius had been ready to pull his hair out. Hermione was not like the other girls in Slytherin. She was nice and kind to everyone and did not think twice about reprimanding him when he tortured some poor little Hufflepuff…her face lit up when learning something she actually did not know…and it soon became obvious she was the best in their class at dueling. He knew she was a student in the future of Hogwarts and that she would be returning soon and that is why every night he lay there memorizing every line of her face, every breath, every melancholic moment she experienced in her slumber. He longed to know why she was so sad when her senses relaxed and why she was so angry in her waking hours.

It was when Hermione descended the stairs from the Head Boy's room that Lucius knew it was a possibility his heart would be broken when she went back.

At the table in the Great Hall, Evan, a fellow Slytherin brought a camera to get some pictures of the ball. As people finished their feast, Evan pulled the camera out and held it up to get a picture of the couple across from him. Lucius and Hermione leaned into each other, smiling brightly for the camera…for a moment the sadness and anger seemed to be gone.

Lucius held her as they danced around the room. She never noticed the way he looked at her or the way he watched her when she wasn't looking. Not once. As Lucius twirled her around, she noticed Bellatrix. She was standing off on the side facing a girl Hermione knew to be muggle-born.

"Mudblood…"

The word traveled to Hermione and seemed to echo in her ear reminding her of what house she was in and who these people surrounding her were. Hermione stopped dancing, forcing Lucius to come to a halt.

"Leave her alone," Hermione said sternly to Bellatrix.

Bellatrix turned around, eyes glinting with excited anger. Hermione looked into her eyes…the eyes of the same person that would destroy her family and Neville's. She felt white-hot anger boiling up inside her and it was reflected in her eyes and radiating off her. People began to back up as the girls stared at each other…Hermione's a look of daring…daring her to go for her wand, to just give her a reason.

Hermione's wand was in her hand waiting for Bellatrix to try something and she was not disappointed. A low growl escaped Bellatrix throat as she lunged forward with her wand in front of her. Hermione barely moved her wand casting a shielding charm. As the orange light bounced off, Hermione laughed at the look of shock on Bellatrix's face. It only increased Bellatrix anger and ultimate hate for Hermione and Hermione was ready and welcome. Bellatrix threw another hex, but Hermione cast a shielding charm as she jumped out of the way onto one of the tables and with a smooth slapping movement with her wand, Bellatrix was hit with Hermione's hex. It looked as if Bellatrix had just been slapped hard enough to bring her to the ground.

She stood up fuming mad and yelling incomprehensibly to Hermione who now jumped to another table laughing and goading Bellatrix on.

"Come on Black! I thought you were top of your class…" Hermione laughed and crossed her arms as an evil smile formed on her mouth. "…before I arrived at any rate."

Bellatrix yelled out and cast another hex which proceeded to bounce off Hermione's shielding charm and toward the ceiling. Yells were heard as a large number of coffers were destroyed and rained down on the spectators. Before Bellatrix could block her, Hermione hexed her with the slapping spell again, immediately after shielding herself. Bellatrix picked herself up off the ground turning red with anger. Hermione hopped from table to table, holding the hem of her dress up so she wouldn't trip on it, hollering out at Bellatrix.

"Come on Black! You can do better than that!"

Again, Bellatrix tried to hex her only to have the spell deflected to the doorway, destroying a large portion of the archway. Hermione felt great. Every ounce of anger she held went out in each slapping hex and each time sent Bellatrix to her knees. The Headmaster, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Slughorn each made their way through the crowd to the dueling. By the time they were within hearing distance of the girls Dumbledore's voice rang out.

"ENOUGH!"

Both girls stopped and looked in utter terror at the Headmaster. He stepped forward and looked between the girls, finally resting his eyes on Hermione's.

"Miss _Dagworth_-Granger please go cool off and be in my office tomorrow morning." Hermione nodded her head and looked down at Bellatrix. She hopped off the table and waved overly sweetly to Bellatrix as she rushed out the door. The Headmaster looked down at Bellatrix. "Miss Black, please follow me."

Lucius ran passed Dumbledore as he helped Bellatrix to stand up and told her to follow him. It was pouring down rain and Hermione had run for the front doors. Lucius stopped just outside the doors and watched the sight before him.

Hermione knew it was raining, but could care less. Something was different deep down inside of her and she could feel it—as if she could do anything. The anger was expelled in the Great Hall with every hex and every shielding charm she cast. Bellatrix went down at the wand of one Hermione Granger and she was thrilled for it. It was as if some sort of poison had been released from her system allowing her to finally feel what was around her as if it were new. She ran out in the rain. With her arms spread out and her face pointed up toward the sky, she turned in circles…laughing. The rain fell down splashing onto her skin…cool water caressing warm skin. It felt so new, so fresh. Hermione simply smiled and twirled more.

It was then, watching Hermione twirl around in the rain in her ball gown, soaking wet that Lucius knew for certain his heart would break when she left.

Lucius stepped out into the rain walking toward Hermione. She stopped twirling in the rain and stood there watching him make his way toward her. She was a vision to Lucius then…the water sliding down the exposed skin of her chest, arms and face…hair dripping…radiant smile that soon turned to laughter.

"And what is so funny," he asked as he approached her.

She looked up at him as the rain proceeded to soak him and she stifled a giggle. She said nothing…only struggling to control her laughter. Lucius, though not angry, reached out. She felt his fingers slide over her skin as he took her face in his hand and tilted her head up to look at him. She felt a fleeting panic as he leaned down closer, looking at her lips (or so she thought) and then looked into her eyes.

"What is so funny," he asked again in the same tone he would perfect as he got older…the tone that did not allow for argument.

With a small amusing smile, she looked at him and for a moment, she was saddened by the realization of why it was amusing. He noticed the shadow seem to pass over her features as she sighed deeply…desolately.

"You…standing out in the rain with me…its just amusing."

Her voice was quiet and heartbreaking.

"And why is that so amusing?"

Her eyes flickered back up to him and for a moment, he thought he saw tears mixed in with the rain on her face.

"One day you'll understand."


	12. Fallen

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Please review…please?

**Chapter 12**

_Fallen_

_No one knows what it's like  
To be hated  
To be fated  
To telling only lies_

But my dreams  
They aren't as empty  
As my conscience seems to be

_--The Who_

"That day in the library, why did you look at my left forearm?"

The question seemed to come out of the blue as they stood there in the rain. It was something that had been driving him crazy. Hermione looked at him and smiled slightly.

"I was just checking."

She shrugged as if it was no big deal. The rain pelted them.

"Checking for the Dark Mark?"

Hermione smiled shyly, as if she had been caught doing something she was not supposed to do. He shook his head.

"You could have asked. But as you were witness, I do not have it yet."

Lucius watched the smile fall from her face.

"Yet," she whispered as she looked down at the wet ground around her feet. Just a minute ago, she was twirling around feeling just pure delight. And with one word, she felt a deep foreboding, sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had actually been naïve enough to think that her presence prior to him becoming the man he would become could somehow alter the future.

The raindrops poured down her face and dripped from her eyelashes as she looked back up at him. No, she had already seen the characteristics that were very much Lucius Malfoy, Death Eater. Besides, she saw the pictures…in Lucius' past she was there even though he was a Death Eater. He saw her face pale slightly as she nodded her head in understanding. Licking her lips in nervousness and disappointment she stepped passed Lucius. His eyes followed her wondering what just happened. One moment she was delightful, dancing in the rain, and laughing and now she was like an empty shell walking by.

He ran after her.

"Hermione," he yelled when he entered the doors.

She stopped and turned around to look at him.

"When?" He looked at her with confusion written across his brow. She took a few steps toward him with a gate full self-assurance and disappointed anger. "When do you receive it?"

"I am to receive it in a couple of days." A smirk appeared on his face as he responded.

She took a couple more steps toward him with her arms crossed over her chest. He knew she was cold, he saw her shiver slightly despite her attempts to hide the fact.

"And you are so proud aren't you?"

He looked at her holding his head high.

"Yes, I am. Why shouldn't I be? I will be joining the fight for the preservation of our kind…the pure…the untainted."

Hermione shook her head as if giving in to some idea in her head that Lucius did not know. He was right. Hermione knew that this was indeed _the_ Lucius Malfoy she was talking to and the ignorance to her background coupled with the fact that she was in Slytherin had blinded him. She was everything he hated.

"Pride is not necessarily a virtue, Lucius."

His eyes narrowed as he took another step closer.

"You do know me in the future, do you not?"

Hermione was tired of this question and yet this time it smacked of his acknowledgement that it was the truth…that he already knew the answer.

"I have already told you I cannot answer that."

He stepped even closer and looking down his nose at her, he spoke reminding her of the older Lucius.

"There will come a time when you must choose whose side you are on."

Hermione looked up at him determined, unblinking; giving Lucius the impression that she did not fear him in the least.

"_That _choice was made for me the _moment _I stepped foot in Hogwarts."

His position did not move as his eyebrow arched.

"If you are not with the Dark Lord then you are against him and how inferior that makes you."

Hermione took one step closer…almost too close for comfort and in his face she hissed.

"Your condescension astounds me. Am I so inferior to you because I would not even toy with the idea of marring my skin with the mark of the evil calling himself Voldemort? Then so be it. Go ahead hold your head high in your false sense of pride, Mister Malfoy. By all means _you_ believe it is justly deserved. Just remember that pride you hold so dear when you are a fallen broken man because of your 'Dark Lord.' Remember it well Lucius Malfoy—it will be your only true friend."

Hermione stormed off toward the Slytherin Common room leaving a stunned Lucius behind.

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Hermione walked tentatively into the Headmaster's office. She had received no word as to what had befallen Bellatrix the previous night when she went with the Headmaster. She sat in the chair indicated in front of Dumbledore's desk and with her hands in her lap she fidgeted. The silence seemed to stretch for a lifetime as Dumbledore simply observed Hermione over his half moon spectacles.

"I won't pretend to understand what that little duel was about Miss Dagworth-Granger, but I will trust it will not happen again."

She looked up in shock.

_I'm_ _not in trouble?_

"Yes sir," she spoke lightly as she looked down in her lap in shame at her own behavior.

"Consider this your warning. I will not tolerate another out burst is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

Without any further adieu, Dumbledore smiled brightly.

"On a lighter note, you will be able to return home in a week's time."

His statement had the desired effect. Hermione looked straight up into the Headmaster's eyes full of excitement.

"Really? How?"

He chuckled softly.

"I have a few friends at the Ministry and they have worked on a time-turner for me that will enable you to travel far enough into the future. It has simply taken awhile to alter the magical properties of a regular time-turner."

She said her thanks with an enthusiastic bounce to her step and voice. When she reached the door to leave the sound of Dumbledore's voice drew her back.

"Oh, and Miss Dagworth-Granger, do remember—people are not always what they seem."

She smiled rather bitter sweetly.

"Yes, I am figuring that one out I believe."

When she left his office and hurried down the corridor, she did not notice the blond boy whose steely grey eyes followed her every move.

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Several people noticed, but knew better than to say a word about it. On more than one occasion, Lucius was seen watching Hermione. She was always oblivious to its happening. He would glance sideways at her in the classes they sat next to each other in—Hermione deep into her work, Lucius unrequited longing. In the Great Hall at meal times, he would pass behind her getting to his own seat and he would slow down and stop eyes on her from behind. With a deep sigh, he would move along to his seat.

Hermione didn't notice these little instances, so deep in her own thoughts. She was going home! She couldn't wait, though the thought of what was happening when she left brought about all sorts of confusing emotions. The main thought sending befuddled emotions throughout her body was the idea of leaving this time after having such a falling out with her best friend in this time—Lucius Malfoy.

The image of the Dark Mark floating above her own house flitted across her mind. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and nodded slightly to herself. She would leave having not reconciled with him and it was okay. He may not have been one of the Death Eaters at her house that night, but potentially he could have been—he was after all a Death Eater. And then the thought of what was happening in her own time sent panic through her. True, she never mentioned her status as a Muggle-Born here—it was wise not to in this house, but in the future, Lucius knew and he hated her for it.

The wind whipped around her and tickled her skin. She sat under a tree by the lake and it was colder than usually for that time of year. It was so cold; Hermione swore she could smell the snow in the air. She shuddered slightly as she noticed the blond that filled her thoughts hurrying across the grounds toward the forbidden forest. Curiosity and concern for the strange look on his face filled Hermione and brought her to her feet. Quickly she followed after him and into the forbidden forest.

Once she was about a foot into the forest, she stopped and looked around for Lucius. She noticed him a bit to her right up ahead. Not wanting to be noticed she followed slowly and as silently as the trees would allow. It was dark; the moon was out giving little light to the path Lucius was taking. A snapping twig echoed in the forest and Lucius stopped and looked to his right toward the sound. Hermione stood frozen, hidden by a tree and brush. The light of the moon illuminated one side of his face. There was a strange look on his face…one she could not pin any one emotion to.

Finally, Lucius came to a small area that was not as dense as the rest of the forest. Looking around, Hermione could see where they were at. To the left was the cabin that was hers in her time. Licking her lips as her nerves evoked a fear of what she would see, she hid behind a dense patch of brush and watched.

Lucius stepped forward and dropped to his knees underneath a large oak tree. The action threw Hermione completely. This was not an action one would place on Lucius Malfoy. Then her blood ran cold as she saw the man standing before Lucius. She recognized him from Ginny's description from the diary, only an older version. He was quite handsome, but the glint in his eyes warned you not to even cross that line…he was to be worshipped not loved and admired.

She was not close enough to hear what they said, but she could see their actions. The moon peeped behind a cloud casting them all in total darkness. When the moon reappeared, it shone down on Lucius. He was on his knees looking up at the older wizard…his cold grey eyes pleading, begging. Voldemort, as he insisted on being known as, laughed and Lucius looked down at the ground as if defeated. The snow Hermione knew was coming, though quite early for the time of year, began to slowly drift down from the clouds above.

Hermione watched in horror as Voldemort pulled out his wand and with one quick movement, Lucius was writhing on the ground…his screams echoing through the snow and forest. It was a sound most disturbing. Lucius was one of the best Death Eaters in her time…he caused screaming he did not _do_ the screaming. To see a young version of that man writhing in pain and to hear his screams caused Hermione's stomach to flip in nausea.

She wanted to stop Voldemort's torture of Lucius, but couldn't…he would probably know immediately that she was a "Mudblood" and proceed to kill her. That would not help anyone. When finally, Lucius body was limp and unmoving, Voldemort stepped forward and grabbed Lucius' left arm. Pointing his wand at his forearm, Voldemort hissed something and Hermione noticed the black color seem to draw itself on Lucius' arm. Turning and swirling, until the Dark Mark burned into his arm. Voldemort unceremoniously dropped Lucius' arm and apparated away leaving Lucius lying on the cold ground as the snow fell all around.

Hermione cautiously looked around and then ran out to Lucius. His eyes opened just enough to see that Hermione was hovering over him. She had her wand out and was casting several spells over him to assess any damage done to him. The tears had sprung to her eyes immediately upon seeing Lucius lying there so still. She hated Voldemort with everything in her and to see someone else inflicted with any sort of pain by him incensed her more so. Lucius lying so still with eyes only half-open still noticed the tears sliding down her cheeks. With a shaky hand, he reached out. His fingertips unsteadily touched a tear wiping it off her cheek.

Hermione's eyes slowly shifted up Lucius' body and met his eyes. Her head tilted to the side slightly as if trying to figure out if Lucius knew what he was doing. Her eyes bore into his own as a smirk formed on his face. His fingers slowly slid from wiping a tear from her cheek to her neck, and then to the back of her head. With his fingers deep in her hair, he began to pull her toward him.

She was defenseless to stop him. Her eyes shifted from his soft lips to his eyes. Power emanated from Lucius even in a younger and weakened state. Her breath hitched in her chest as she placed her hands on his chest to stop his continuation.

Their lips were barely touching, though not kissing. She had stopped him just in time and the feel of her lips so close and yet so far away caused a strange guttural growl to escape him. Hermione gently removed his hand from her hair, trying to ignore the Dark Mark burning in his arm.

"Lucius, we need to get you somewhere safe. You don't know what you are doing. You need potions."

Hermione looked around almost panicked. Her eyes fell on the cabin that in the future, she knew what it held, but at this time, she knew not. Putting her hands on Lucius' cheeks as if urging him to look at her and stay focused she asked.

"Lucius…focus. The cabin over there. Whose is it?"

His eyes shifted slightly and he licked his lips before speaking.

"It's abandoned. I hide out there on occasion."

Resolving herself to the fact that the cabin is where she would have to take him for the night, she stood up and brushed any dirt from her clothes.

"Can you stand?"

He said nothing, but slowly began to painfully rise to his feet. Hermione bent down and took his arm to help the best she could. He winced as pain shot through his body causing him to nearly fall. Once his balance was painfully obtained, he walked slowly, with Hermione's help, to the cabin.

When Hermione walked into the cabin, she noticed how different it was on the inside. The sofa and chair were near the fireplace and the bookcases were there just as they would be when Hermione would acquire the cabin. The difference was there was no bed in the area behind the stairs and the loft appeared to be a rather cozy bedroom. Hermione's eyes went from the loft to Lucius apologetically. He seemed to know what was on her mind.

"I'll manage," he said in response.

It was slow going and took a few minutes, but Lucius made it up the stairs. Hermione helped to guide him onto the bed the whole time her mind moving in a thousand directions. She looked around as if to see if there were potions or anything up there. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he pointed to a cupboard.

"I have pajama bottoms in there."

She didn't ask…something told her she should, that it would give even more insight into the psyche of Lucius Malfoy, but a part of her knew that it was probably something best left for now. Nodding, she walked over to the cupboard and brought them to him.

"Um…will you be alright changing while I see about some potions?"

He nodded. She hesitated for a moment before turning back to the stairs and heading down them toward the bathroom. In the bathroom, she rummaged through a cabinet and found what she needed for his pain. Sighing in relief, she headed back up the stairs. Lucius was in his pajama bottoms still sitting on the edge of his bed. He seemed to be looking at the Dark Mark on his arm. His steely grey eyes betrayed slight warmth when he looked up at her entrance. She handed him the phial of potion.

"It will help with the pain and help you sleep." She stood there arms crossed over her chest, foot tapping watching him down the potion and then set the phial aside. "I told you this would happen."

She sounded irritated. A small smirk lit Lucius' face for a mere second before it faded and he looked back up at her.

"Yes, you did," he said laying back. He reached out and grabbed her arm, gently pulling her down onto the bed next to him. "Though it appears that my pride _is not_ my _only_ friend."

Lying on his side, he reached his arm around her and pulled her tightly against him. Hermione was reminded of the older Lucius doing the same thing and now it seemed to click as to why he did so. She could feel his breath tickling her neck as he gently kissed her shoulder.

"Just don't leave me…not tonight."


	13. Returning to Tomorrow

Disclaimer: Not mine as you know.

A/N: Sorry this took so long---well, so long for me anyway. Please review! Oh and I have a little quiz here for you—Dumbledore quotes something in this chapter. I know what it is and who wrote it, but I want to know if you do. Review and let me know. I'll tell you in the next chapter if you are correct!

**Chapter 13**

_Returning to Tomorrow_

_Like a leach,  
I hold on as if we belonged,  
To some precious pure dream.  
Cast off, you've seen what's beneath,  
Now fail me._

Forget closure,  
Forget closure,  
Forget closure,  
Forget closure.

Closure has come to me myself,  
You will never belong to me.  
Closure has come to me myself,  
You will never belong to me.

_--Chevelle_

Hermione needed to be alone…desperately. It was so early in the morning barely any students were up and about, especially on a weekend. When she stepped out of the doors and her eyes fell upon the pristine grounds, she felt almost guilty about disturbing it with her footprints. No one had disturbed the snow yet. The landscape was a vast whiteness that settled calm over all its inhabitants. She slowly set out toward the lake.

Leaning against a tree as she looked out over the cold lake, she allowed the silence to overcome her. Her thoughts began to drift about—always to the same thoughts. Her parents' murder. Lucius in the future, in her time. Lucius in the past, in this time. Bellatrix. Her parents' murder. She would never forget the feeling of fear and grief that gripped her that night. She closed her eyes willing the images to go away…to drift off…anything but exist in her mind…in her memory.

She heard the sound of the crunching snow as Lucius approached her. Hermione kept staring straight ahead, not bothering to turn to look at him. She was trying desperately to extricate herself from his life. In the future he hates her for what blood runs through her veins and that was something not easily forgotten. Through the corner of her eye, she saw Lucius lean up against the tree with his back to her. Slowly, her eyes shifted to look at him from behind. She felt tears prickle at the corner of her eyes. He could be so sweet and caring towards people…but it was toward people he believed to be "pure" and "untainted." The potential was there, she had seen it. She turned to look back out across the lake. The Dark Mark floating, casting an eerie glow over her house crossed her mind as if reminding her that Lucius was one of those people.

Lucius turned his head so he was looking at her profile.

"Why are you so sad?"

She felt her breath hitch in her throat at that question. His voice was unusually sweet and soft…nothing like what he would grow to be. She turned to look at him and found herself merely inches from his face. The bare trace of a smile graced her lips.

"Just memories. Nothing for you to fret over."

Her eyes followed him as he stepped out from the tree and in front of her.

"Memories of what?"

She said nothing, not sure as to what to say. Instead, she looked down, avoiding his gaze. Her eyes fell on his left forearm and though she could not see it through his cloak, she knew what lie beneath. She knew that underneath the fine black material the Dark Mark branded him as its own. She closed her eyes, wishing it all away. Lucius' finger slid under her chin and gently lifted her face up to look at him.

"Memories of what," he repeated with a bit of a sterner voice. It was funny. Yet another difference between this younger Lucius and the one she knew in her time. The Lucius she knew would never deign to put his fingers on her to lift her face up…no he would use his cane not wanting to touch a Mudblood.

"My parents' murder," she whispered.

His hand fell from under her chin. She had never told him she was parentless. A chill ran through her body. Lucius thought they were best friends. He just stared at her.

"Why did you never tell me?"

Hermione laughed slightly and looked down and back up at Lucius.

"You are the only one besides Dumbledore that knows I am from the future. I have told you more than once; there are some things I just can't tell you. You know this so it would go without saying that there are some things about me that you have no idea about…some things best kept silent."

Lucius simply nodded his head in understanding. He looked around at the pure white grounds and the students beginning to come out to enjoy the snow. The laughter of the other students drifted across to them, seeming oddly out of place for what they were discussing. They just stood in silence, neither knowing really what to say when a young first year ran by laughing. He stopped not far from where Lucius and Hermione stood. The boy turned to look back at the girl running after him. Anger was apparent on this first year's face. Her face was red, as if it had just been covered in snow. She scooped up handfuls of snow and threw them with all her might at the boy.

"I hate you James Potter!" She scooped up more and threw it again. "I hate you!"

A small smile slowly found its way onto Hermione's face. Lucius glanced over at the students and with a nod of his head in the arguing students' direction, he let Hermione know that as Head Boy he needed to take care of this. Hermione watched wondering if he would take excessive house points like Snape would do in the future and if he would even be civil to Lily. She was muggle-born after all.

Lucius stepped behind Lily and with an aristocratic stance that was very much his own, he looked down his nose at James.

"Mister Potter?"

James stopped laughing and looked at Lucius. Lily gasped in surprise, not having seen Lucius there with Hermione when she ran past. Jumping and turning to look up at Lucius, Hermione could see the shame on her face as Lily looked from Lucius to the ground. Lucius' eyes shifted to the small redhead.

"Miss Evans, kindly return to the castle while I have a…word with Mister Potter."

Lily nodded and ran for the castle not noticing Hermione standing there watching. Once Lily was out of site, Lucius took a step toward the young James.

"One day, Mister Potter you _will_ meet your match and then you will see that you are most certainly _not_ the biggest fish in the pond. Twenty points from Gryffindor."

James ran toward two boys waiting for him near the castle doors. Hermione stood there watching Lucius deal with James and when Lucius turned around his eyes found hers. There was something in her eyes…something akin to recognition and deep down he wondered what that was about, though he had an idea she did know him in her time.

In silence, Lucius took his place against the tree again. Nothing was said, no movement was made for a few minutes. Then, Lucius, with his hands in his pants pocket nudged Hermione with his elbow. Her head turned to him quickly. He had a mischievous smile on his face as he nudged her again, pulling himself away from the tree. With a nod toward the castle, Lucius began to walk toward it and Hermione, instinctively knowing what he was saying began to follow…they only had a few days before Hermione would leave.

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Everyone retired for the night. Hermione sat on the sofa staring into the fireplace. The fire danced its reflection in her eyes.

"Are you ready?"

Hermione looked up at Lucius standing there. His eyes were full of something she could only label as regret. To Lucius, Hermione's eyes shone with a future she knew all about and one he knew nothing of and feared. His only hope was to find her again. In somber silence, they left the common room and traveled through the corridors up through the castle toward the Great Hall. Hermione's heart pounded heavily with each step. The two students slowed to a near stop when they saw Dumbledore standing before the doors of the Great Hall and walk toward them. He smiled at each of them as he gently nodded his head.

"I will let the two of you say goodbye as I wait by the doors." Dumbledore turned to leave, but stopped and turned around.

"Ah…but let us not forget:

'We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time."

With a slight twinkle in his eyes, Dumbledore turned from the two students and walked over to the door of the Great Hall acting as if the students were not there. Lucius and Hermione watched in bewilderment as the old man walked away.

"Barking mad," she heard Lucius whisper.

She couldn't help but to laugh slightly.

"I'd like to say he improves in the future, but I am afraid I can not oblige you—he only gets worse."

Then an uncomfortable silence followed. Lucius watched Hermione's every breath and Hermione stared down at the floor between them. She couldn't look him in the eye know what their relationship was in the future…knowing what a lie this is. Then she felt his fingers so gently under her chin lifting her head up to look at him. It pained her to recall once again that in the future she was returning to he would not condescend to touch her in such a way.

"I have to go," she whispered and hugged him quickly. She turned in swirl of robes and made her way toward Dumbledore only to feel her insides freeze at Lucius' almost panicked sounding voice call her back.

"Will I see you again? Do we meet later on? You will never tell me the things I ask."

She felt the wretchedness wash over her. She feared facing him after hearing such a voice escape his lips. She did though, slowly and sadly, she turned to look at him.

"Yes, Lucius, but you will be clouded by hate for who I am and what I am."

Thoughts, memories, emotions boiled over her…he was the past's equivalent to what Harry was to her. Her best friend, her confidante…and what she would be returning to where he was concerned hurt and ached deep down in her every fiber. She sprang forward for one last desperate attempt to lock in her memory this past. His arms wrapped tightly around her in return.

"I only wish that the boy you are today could grow to become the man you are capable of being instead of the man you are." She felt her tears but tossed them out of her mind as she pressed her lips upon his cheek, chastely, and gently. The moment her lips left his cheek, she hastened toward Dumbledore and followed him into the Great Hall.

Lucius stood out in the corridor feeling the burning of the mark upon his skin as her voice still echoed in his mind…a voice holding a warning that would forever echo in his memories and haunt him in his dreams.

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Hermione stood in the middle of the Great Hall looking at the object in the Headmaster's hand. It looked like a time-turner, only of a smaller size. Curiosity caused her eyebrow to rise slightly. Dumbledore smiled, knowing what was going through her mind.

"It is a specially made time-turner. A dear old friend of mine created this disposable time-turner. The magic of the usual time-turner has been adjusted to allow a massive jump forward in time and once it is done, the time-turner will disappear with no harm to you."

Hermione nodded understanding perfectly. Reaching out with shaking hands, she placed the time-turner around her neck. Dumbledore noticed her eyes wonder from the time-turner to the closed doors of the Great Hall. She missed her friends…her life, but she hated to return to a relationship with Lucius that was pure hate and loathing. She felt the warm comforting, grandfather like touch of Dumbledore's hand on her shoulder.

"People are not always what they seem, remember that."

"No," she spoke sounding off in another world, deep in her thought, "No, they are not."

Nodding that she was ready she took one last look at Dumbledore. He was dead in her time and she wanted to warn him about Snape, plead with him never to accept the foul Potions Master, but she knew she could not do that. A tear trickled down her cheek and Dumbledore smiled.

"We do not live forever, Hermione. It is alright to mourn, but one must not forget to live themselves."

Hermione smiled slightly as she picked up the time-turner and turned it the number of times she was told. In a matter of seconds, she felt herself rushing through time.

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Lucius knew it was only a matter of seconds before Hermione would re-appear. After all, time may have passed in the _past_, but it did not pass simultaneously in the future. He was right. Before Severus could completely exit the cabin, Hermione re-appeared in the middle of the room.

Hermione stood in the middle of the room feeling slightly shocked at being back in her own time in a room with one who hated her. Only seconds ago, to her, he was her best friend. All the emotions of the past filled her…the memory of what was happening that sent her back in time hit her like a bomb as she saw Severus' brooding facing scowling at her from the door he had been exiting.

It happened much faster than what Lucius thought her capable. In less than a second, Hermione standing there in Slytherin robes drew out her wand pointing it toward Snape. Lucius watched Snape fly back unconscious. Lucius' head whipped around glaring at Hermione.

"What do you think you are doing? You know nothing you silly impertinent child!" He turned out the door to see to the traitor.

Hermione remained in the middle of the room. His words cut to the bone, wounding her mortally. Fighting to keep the tears in check, to prevent the anguished cry from escaping her throat, she did the only thing she could think of now. With the pendent, she returned to Hogwarts in search of her two best friends. That is what she needed more than anything…her best friend.

Lucius heard a strangled cry come from inside the cabin. He knew it was Hermione and a side of him was glad for it. So, his plan did not work; so the memories remained. That was fine. It was fine because now she had those memories; now she would suffer as he had suffered and it was well deserved—in his memory, she lied to him. She was in Slytherin under false pretensions. He smiled at the thought of her agony taunting her for years to come as it had him. Hers was a fresh wound and these days following would be nothing more than salt in that wound, whereas his has had time to begin to heal and accept what once was and never will be.

_It is her turn to suffer._


	14. The Legend Begins

Disclaimer: Not mine, as you all know.

A/N: Please…oh please review. Okay? Please? Oh and about the quote in the last chapter. A couple of you got it right! It was T. S. Eliot's "Little Gidding."

**Chapter 14**

_The Legend Begins_

_Breathe in right away,  
Nothing seems to fill this place  
I need this every time,  
Take your lies get off my case  
Someday I will find a love  
That flows through me like this  
This will fall away,  
this will fall away  
You're getting closer to pushing me  
Off of life's little edge  
Cause I'm a loser  
And sooner or later  
You know I'll be dead  
You're getting closer,  
You're holding the rope,  
I'm taking the fall  
Cause I'm a loser, I'm a loser, yeah_

_--3 Doors Down_

The moment Hermione's feet felt the ground of Hogwarts beneath them, she ran. She ran with every ounce of energy she had toward Gryffindor tower. Her heart pounded frantically. She ran across no one most of the way. It was passed curfew and the only ones who would be out would be prefects doing rounds. If only she could remember who was doing the rounds tonight so she would be prepared in how to deal with them if she did run across them. She turned the corner near the portrait hole and found herself abruptly stopped and then her world tumbled around her.

She looked up to see a very irate looking Draco Malfoy.

"Granger what the bloody hell are you doing? We do not have rounds tonight."

Without waiting for her to accept his hand in help, he reached out grabbing her arm and roughly yanked her up to her feet.

"I could ask you the same thing Malfoy," Hermione responded rubbing the redness of her arm.

"Granger, I am not running through the corridors like a bloody lunatic," Draco said and then looking her up and down he added, "plus I am not wearing Gryffindor robes, unlike you in a set of nice Slytherin ones."

A moment of panic surged through Hermione. In the total craziness of the night, she had forgotten she was now wearing Slytherin robes. Draco didn't notice the slight wand movement she made as she picked her wand up off the ground in an effort to avoid answering his question.

"Think again, Malfoy."

Quickly turning she began to head swiftly toward the portrait hole. She could still hear Draco yelling after her. He had looked down when she said that to notice how his robes were no longer Slytherin, but those of a Gryffindor. He fumed as he stormed off to the Slytherin Common room with thoughts of vengeance floating in his head.

Hermione entered through the portrait whole hoping everyone would be in bed now. She really didn't want to explain what she was wearing—not to everyone at least. As she took in the room before her relief swept through her. Only two people remained in the common room. Ron sat at a table copying Harry's homework and Harry sat on the sofa before the fire tinkling with the locket in his hands—the fake horcrux.

"Bloody Hell! What are you wearing Hermione?"

Ron looked up to notice Hermione standing there with a rather uncharacteristically dazed look upon her face. He took in her Slytherin robes and then the outburst escaped his lips. Harry's face slowly turned toward Hermione and upon seeing her, he stood and rushed toward her.

"Hermione? Are you okay?"

His green eyes were pleading and worrisome. With a sigh, Hermione looked up as Ron made his way toward her also.

"You both better sit down. This is going to take some time."

Together, as they always do when there is something needing to be discussed, they sat before the fire huddled together as Hermione told her tale of adventure in the past. When she finished with her story she waited for some sort of word from them, some sort of outburst…anger…anything. Harry sat in silence surveying her as if deep in thought about everything he had just been told. Ron was the first to utter any words.

"Bloody hell, Hermione."

Her lip quivered. It was so much to tell everything in one sitting as she did. It was overwhelming. She felt as if a million emotions had just collided in her very center and she didn't know which to feel. Harry noticed her lip quiver though. He put a friendly arm around her as he gave Ron a "not now" look.

Hermione was exhausted after telling her tale and excused herself. After she had retired to her room, Harry and Ron remained in the common room both staring into the fire. Both were processing the story they had been told in conjunction with the strange pictures.

"He's known this whole time."

Ron nodded his head agreeing with Harry's sentiment.

"Well, at least the whole time he was in the cabin anyway," Ron corrected him.

Harry nodded in agreement. Ron continued with various comments here and there about the strangeness of the whole ordeal. Harry nodded in absentminded agreement as his mind wandered to other aspects. The way in which the younger Lucius was watching Hermione in the past, lingered in his mind. Harry didn't look at Hermione like that and it seemed to pull at a thought in Harry's mind. Had Lucius been smitten with Hermione or actually in love with her? It would explain the dance at the masquerade. Both boys deciding they didn't want to think about Hermione's adventure of sorts with Lucius anymore drug themselves up to their beds.

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The castle had an old familiar feel to it as Hermione traveled through the corridors to the Great Hall for breakfast. Not the typical old feel that it had every year she returned, but the feel as if she has known these corridors…known them in years, many years past. It caused a small smile to linger on her mouth as she walked through the doors to the Great Hall.

_Home._

Harry and Ron stumbled in behind her playing with a couple of trick wands they snatched from Fred and George's old room at the Burrow. Not noticing Hermione had stopped walking for a moment, they nearly collided with her. Feeling the slight nudge from her best friends, she turned to look at them reprovingly. Noticing the look on her face, they straightened up their posture and looked down at their feet mumbling.

"Sorry 'Mione."

The corner of her lips twitched. It was so good to be home and she wasn't stupid. She could see both boys trying not to smile. It overwhelmed her to be surrounded by true best friends…one who knew you and loved you despite any "faults" they may see. Warm laughter escaped her causing both boys to look up. Their wide smiles were one of the things she had missed. Both sets of eyes danced at her in joy.

"We're just happy you are okay, Hermione."

She smiled at Harry's words, again.

"I couldn't ask for better friends than you two."

Then they noticed her smile fade completely from her face, as if they were looking at Hermione in a different place and time.

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"I just wanted to say…thank you, Remus. It was very kind of you and Tonks to look after Draco."

Remus stopped outside the doors to the Great Hall and surveyed Lucius for a moment. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

"No need to thank me, Lucius."

They remained silent for a moment. Not really sure what to say to each other. Then the sound of mumbled apologies could be heard just on the other side of the door. Remus smiled slightly. He could only imagine what they were doing and what look Hermione had given the boys to cause such an apology. It reminded him of one more piece of business before he departed to take care of his Order business.

"Oh, yes. During breakfast I will need to fill you in on Harry's Dumbledore's Army…you will be required to supervise their meetings and aid where necessary."

The warm laughter of a certain female floated through the door. It caused a strange tug deep down in Lucius and his lip slowly curled into a snarl as he and Remus opened the doors to enter.

"I couldn't ask for better friends than you two."

You could feel the warmth of their friendship floating around them…settling in their very aura. It caused Remus to smile at the trio and Lucius to snarl rather unpleasantly. Hermione felt as if her heart had stopped dead in her chest. His cold eyes were on her, piercing her own. It was the past for him and she knew that, she understood that. For her, however, it had just happened. Just yesterday, he was her closest friend. Now, she stared into the same eyes…the eyes of the man that hates her. Harry noticed her jaw quiver slightly. Quickly, Harry and Ron told Remus they would speak with him later, and led Hermione away from Lucius.

As they sat at the Gryffindor table, they noticed Lucius sitting at the Head Table next to Lupin. The trio exchanged looks that all said the same thing. Why is he here? A thought occurred to Harry halfway through breakfast.

"You don't think he's taking over for Professor Lupin do you?"

Ron shook his head no.

"McGonagall is not Dumbledore. She wouldn't do that…hire a Death Eater to teach defense? No way."

He continued stuffing food in his mouth. Hermione's eyes drifted up to the table and something told her that McGonagall would do that and had done that. It did not settle well as her stomach started to churn with each bite until she gave up the idea of eating. She was no longer hungry anyway.

From the Head Table, Lucius watched and paid attention to what was happening at the Gryffindor table. Yes, there sat his little liar from the past. At the thought of her being a liar, something… a little voice in the back of his mind told him she didn't lie. He never asked if she were pureblood. But he silenced that voice in his argument: she was a smart girl, brilliant even, she knew very well, being in Slytherin it would be assumed she was pureblood and she said nothing to contradict the thought. She lied.

Hermione's face was buried in a book, having long since pushed her plate aside to read. McGonagall stood to get everyone's attention. Lucius watched her bright eyes that were working on filling her head with knowledge rise up to look at the Headmistress, a slightly quizzical brow gracing her features.

"Silence. Now, as you all know, Professor Lupin has left his post for an unknown length of time. As such, we have found a replacement. Please welcome Professor Malfoy to the post."

Lucius stood and bowed slightly. The Slytherin table was an uproar of noise. The other tables clapped politely. Lucius stood there, looking down his nose at the student body as if every one were beneath him. As his eyes scanned the crowd of students, one thing came clear into view.

Hermione was heading out the door.

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The legend that most people in the wizarding world heard about began that day in Defense Against the Dark Arts. The words that would start the legend started when Hermione refused to raise her hand for his class.

Hermione sat at her desk, receiving odd glares of confusion from Harry and Ron. She knew she was acting like a petulant child, but she refused to give Lucius Malfoy the satisfaction of making this class easy for him by raising her hand with the answers when she was the only one to know them. No, let him actually teach a bit…let him sweat it out at the front of the classroom. She sat there staring straight ahead. It tore her up to think about how close they were in the past and how he never hesitated to call her foul names even after he figured out who she was.

"Miss Granger, no one else seems to be raising their hands and Professor Lupin has informed me of your brilliance. Could you please explain the theory Miss Granger?"

Her eyes turned slowly to look him in the face. He felt a slight chill at how dead they looked in that moment. The whole class watched, knowing the history of hate between Hermione and father and son Malfoy.

"You're supposed to say 'could you please explain the theory, Mudblood."

A few gasps were heard around the classroom. Harry and Ron both had their mouths wide open in shock and awe. With those few words began the legend that little girls everywhere would giggle about at bedtime. Lucius, who had been pacing rather slowly and deliberately in front of the class, stopped and looked down his nose at Hermione.

"Pardon me, Miss Granger?"

She kept her eyes steeled against any emotion threatening to flood her and stared deep into his eyes, piercing his for a change.

"It's simply the name you have always referred to me by…in the past, present and future…I have always been Mudblood Granger. Why change now?"

Despite outward appearances, her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. Lucius stepped up in front of her and leaned down to become eye level with her. To his shock, she did not flinch in the slightest.

"Detention, _Miss Granger_…tonight after dinner."

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Gossip traveled fast in the corridors of Hogwarts. By lunch time not only was everyone still whispering about who the mystery man dancing with their Head Girl at the Masquerade was, but now they were talking of her behavior in DADA and how un-Hermione like it was. Little did they actually know.

At dinner, Lucius watched the young Gryffindor from the Head Table. The whispers were still following her around the school and now she sat at dinner simply picking at her food. He found his mind drifting to memories…memories of the past. She still had such a sad look upon her face when no one was looking. He watched her smile at Harry when he looked up to say something to her. He knew her heart was not truly in it though…the smile was merely on her shell and did not radiate from the inside as he had seen it do before. He wanted to shake those thoughts…it was just too much. The only consolation he had was the fact that she would suffer as he had suffered after her departure…to an extent. After all, Hermione Granger wasn't a Death Eater.

"Poor child."

The Headmistress' voice broke Lucius' thoughts and he turned to her quizzically.

"What do you mean, Headmistress?"

Taking a sip of broth, she nodded nonchalantly in the direction of the Gryffindor table.

"I am referring to Miss Granger." She took Lucius' silence to indicate he was indeed listening. "She hasn't been herself since her parents' death, but who would? She was left with everything of course and decided she wanted to sell the house she grew up in."

She looked up at Lucius who was listening with a look of boredom. She shook her head and took another sip of broth.

"Oh come now Lucius. You care more than that. After all, it was the night of the masquerade that Miss Granger went back in the past, was it not?"

She took another sip of broth as she watched him from the corner of her eye. He looked stiff as if he had just heard a great shock. He actually thought this was something only he and Hermione knew, but of course, it wasn't.

"Don't fret so, Lucius. Dumbledore mentioned it in some notes he left for me upon his death. But back to the issue at hand."

She delicately dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin before placing it in her empty plate. She turned to look at Lucius.

"A buyer has been found for the Granger residence. This weekend Miss Granger will need to go there and clean out any belongings she wishes to obtain."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

She smiled almost as if apologizing. Lucius knew he was not going to like this.

"She is a member of what your son has termed 'the Golden Trio.' Times are dangerous and an attempt has already been made on her life once. She will need an escort. You and Remus will escort her and act as her guard for the weekend."

Placing his own napkin in his plate, he looked at McGonagall.

"Is that wise Headmistress?"

"Yes, Lucius. I do not believe for a moment you would let harm come to her nor would Remus. If you are called away on…business, Remus will inform me and a replacement sent."

"Very well," he said, knowing there was no arguing when a plan had been set in motion. His eyes drifted to the Gryffindor again. She was leaning over the table with her head together with Harry and Ron's. He noticed his own son watching them with speculation.

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"Listen Harry, this weekend is a Hogsmead weekend. Just write Mundungus tonight and ask him to meet you somewhere."

Harry shook his head.

"I don't know Hermione. Why would he be honest with me after I tried to kill him over goblets last year?"

Hermione made a slight bow with her head.

"I concede your point Harry, but you have to try. You have searched Grimmauld Place and it is not there."

Harry sighed and rubbed his head slightly.

"You forgot about Kreacher, Hermione."

She looked at Ron. She had indeed forgotten about him.

"Yes, Ron is right. You should check with him too. He is liable to have taken the locket too."

After a couple more whispered sentences, Harry agreed he would check with Kreacher and Mundungus about the locket. That horcrux had to be found…and destroyed.

"Well, I'm off. I'll see you two after my detention."

They both gave her pitying looks. As they watched her walk out the door, Ron turned to Harry.

"I'm worried about this detention with Malfoy, Harry. What if he hexes her or something?"

Harry's eyes traveled from the spot Hermione had once been before the doors closed behind her to the Head Table where Lucius sat staring at the same spot.

"Don't worry Ron. Something tells me he wouldn't do that."

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Hermione was nervous as she slid into the DADA classroom. The room was dark and forbidding. The only light was on the desk at the head of the class where Lucius sat looking over in-class essays from earlier that day. The light from the candle lit up his face so it gave the appearance of glowing as if he were some sublime creature sitting at the desk. His cold grey eyes rose from his work and found her warm eyes. He said nothing at first, only pointed to a chair that was pulled up on the other side of his desk.

Nervously, she made her way to the chair and sat down as if expecting to be thrown from the seat the moment she sat in it. He watched her settle herself in silence. For a moment he was in the library in his seventh year sitting across from Hermione watching her every move committing it to memory because he knew she would not be there forever. This was her detention though. He placed a large stack of parchments before her.

"First year essays. I find them incomprehensible. You will grade these."

Hermione nodded her head ever so slightly and set to work. An hour passed in silence. Lucius glanced up on occasion to glance at her. The words she whispered into his ear in the past echoed in his ears now. It was like a taunting warning that he did not heed. His eyes grazed over her…she still was not eating properly. He knew she did not eat dinner…he had seen as much. Standing up he walked over to the fireplace across the room. Hermione couldn't hear what he was saying, only saw that he was flooing someone. Deciding she shouldn't be caught doing anything other than what her detention dictated, she turned back to the first year essays.

Hermione had read the same sentence three times and it still did not make sense. That was when Lucius found his way back to the desk and placed a plate of sandwiches on the desk along with a butterbeer for Hermione. She looked at the plate and then up at Lucius. His eyes were still cold and hard as they looked at her as if hiding behind some wall. He sat back down to set back to work. He looked across the desk and down his nose at her.

"Eat Miss Granger. Starving yourself will not accomplish you a thing except a good scolding from Madame Pomfrey."


	15. Letting Go

Disclaimer: Not mine

A/N: Okay….this chapter is about explaining things JKR never will. We know nothing about Hermione's family except that her parents are dentists. But one can only learn so much about the wizarding world once they find out they are going to Hogwarts and I find Hermione has an unusual amount of knowledge when she arrives at Hogwarts. Some people complained in another story of mine that Hermione would not be "well off" financially as I had her and this story takes it even further, but I beg to differ. Both her parents are dentists…are those people telling me dentists are poor in England? Well, I hope you enjoy the little cookie crumb I give at the end of the chapter. Keep reading and reviewing and more will be explained—can't give it all at once now can I?

Don't forget to review!

**Chapter 15**

_Letting Go_

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors_

_Leading you down into my core_

_Where I've become so numb without a soul_

_My spirit sleeping somewhere cold_

_Until you find it there and lead it back home…_

_--Evanescence_

Hermione was not looking forward to this. She knew this day would come and she would be responsible for cleaning the house out, but that did not make it any easier. Taking one last look around her Head Girl room, she decided she had everything required of her to make it through a weekend away from Hogwarts. With her school bag stuffed with books over her shoulder, she headed down the stairs into the common room.

There was an odd tension in the Gryffindor common room. Remus seemed to be the only one at ease. Harry wasn't as wary looking as the other occupants, but seemed taken back and nervous all the same. It didn't take Hermione long to figure out what had caused such a drastic change in the common room environment. Standing next to Remus was her other escort—Lucius Malfoy. Remus smiled brightly at her, though she knew he was simply trying to keep her spirits up. Remus glanced at her school bag.

"Is that all you are taking? School books?"

Hermione nodded.

"I have clothes at the house."

Remus nodded his head with a light of understanding upon his face. She hugged her friends goodbye and whispered into Harry's ear, "don't forget to talk to both of them."

He smiled and said okay, but she hadn't left her friends yet before Ron spoke up.

"You know, Hermione, there are other places it could be at."

She noticed Ron's eyes shift to Lucius. She couldn't deny the truth in that statement. No matter what had occurred between them in Lucius' past he was still a Death Eater today. Her forehead crinkled in slight worry and confusion. Why in the name of Merlin was McGonagall sending an Order Member and a Death Eater to watch after her? She didn't know, but she would find out before this weekend was over.

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They took a train from the nearest Muggle village to Kings Cross. The ride was long and mostly silent. Lucius said nothing as he sat across from Hermione. Remus and Hermione both sat there reading. Once they arrived at Kings Cross Remus, lead the way out placing Hermione behind him and Lucius kept behind her. No one dared to come near them and Hermione couldn't but notice those surrounding them. Lucius definitely emanated power and evoked fear in those around him. It was unmistakable and made Hermione smile slightly.

Once they exited Kings Cross, Remus headed toward a black car. Lucius noticed, once Remus opened the back door he reached behind him and grabbed Hermione's hand to lead her in after him. Lucius felt the sneer appear on his face and blew it off as disgust for Remus willingly touching a Mudblood. To Hermione's utter horror, Lucius slid into the back after her placing her in between the two men. Both men were looking around them outside.

"Its all clear," Remus spoke.

The driver nodded his head in understanding and began to pull out of the pick up area. Hermione looked up noticing the driver.

"Joseph!"

The dark haired man nodded and smiled.

"Hello Miss Hermione."

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Joseph, I have told you a million times you need only call me Hermione."

He simply chuckled.

Lucius was fascinated by this. Hermione knew this man and he referred to her as a servant would refer to their master's children. Remus still had Hermione's hand, Lucius noticed.

"Remus, do you often hold hands with students?"

Remus slipped his hand out of Hermione's leaving her feeling abandoned and cold. Her head turned to the blonde next to her, that even when sitting could look down his nose at her.

"Remus is no longer my teacher, Professor Malfoy and he is the closest thing to a father I have left."

Hermione turned her head to look straight ahead not wanting to look at Lucius for fear of crying. In the rearview mirror, Joseph's dark eyes moved from Hermione to Lucius and then back again. Remus decided to try to cheer her up slightly.

"We thought a ministry car would be a big red flag as to who we were so we checked out your driver." Hermione turned and smiled at Remus. "You never told me you were surrounded by magic all your life Hermione. I had to find out from your driver," Remus continued with a bit of a teasing inflection in his voice. Lucius' ears perked up at this.

Hermione shrugged.

"It never seemed important," she spoke lightly. "Either way I was still a Muggle-born and that is what stands out in the wizarding world."

Silence followed that statement. After about thirty minutes of silence, they pulled into a long winding cobblestone drive lined with willows entwined with wisteria. Lucius looked all around him and when the house finally came into view with its three stories and old warn brick of all the ancient manor houses, he turned toward Remus.

"We are staying at the Dagworth Estate?"

The car door opened for them.

"Miss Hermione!"

Hermione was immediately enveloped in a motherly hug.

"Hello Janet."

The woman looked to be about what Hermione's mother's age would have been.

"I have your room ready, Miss and the two guest rooms on either side of your room for the gentlemen."

"Thank you Janet."

The three began to follow Janet into the house as Joseph gathered their luggage. Once inside, Hermione felt a rush of anxiety and despair overcome her. The house was full of happy memories, but right now, they served to do nothing but sadden her. Janet had disappeared and now reappeared in the foyer where they stood waiting for some movement from Hermione.

"Miss, dinner is ready in the dining room."

"Thank you, Janet."

The two men followed the obvious lady of the house into the dinning room. The place setting at the long table was at one end for three people. She felt her heart break a little more when she noticed the place setting was the exact as when she was home with her parents. She knew Janet would expect her to take the head of the table, but she couldn't bare it. She was not her father. Silently she took the seat her mother typically sat at. She fully expected Lucius to sit at the head of the table and he did not disappoint. Dinner progressed in a mournful silence until Lucius finally spoke up.

"Miss Granger, how is it that you know the Dagworth Estate?"

Hermione chewed the bite in her mouth very slowly as she looked at Lucius. She was debating whether to even answer him or not. Finally, deciding she was done eating, she dabbed her mouth and placed her napkin in her plate.

"I grew up in this house, Professor Malfoy. I can understand that _you_ would find that hard to believe. Now, I am the sole heir of this estate and I _don't _want it."

She stood from the table and swiftly left the room. Lucius and Remus were left sitting at the dining room table wondering what else was unknown about Hermione Granger, Muggleborn.

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Hermione cried herself to sleep. She knew this was going to be difficult, but she also knew she had to let go of the past and move on. As long as she was heir to this estate, she would be haunted by the memories of the Dark Mark wavering above it setting it in an eerie green glow. When she woke up the following morning, she packed up her room immediately. By the time she came out of her room and entered the drawing room, it was brunch and Janet had placed varying breads and cold cuts on the side table.

Hermione walked into the room with a smile for Remus and ignored Lucius all together. Grabbing a roll on her way to a chair, she glanced over at the Daily Prophet sitting there and proceeded to peruse it. Lucius watched her. His curiosity was piqued. Glancing around the room, he noticed the table she picked the Daily Prophet up from had a small framed picture he recognized. Walking over to it, he picked it up and looked back at Remus. Holding up the picture, he spoke.

"Jane Dagworth. It has been ages since I have seen her."

Remus nodded as if to let Lucius know he heard him. Then a mumbled reply came from Hermione.

"Dagwoth-Granger."

She folded the Daily Prophet back up, sat it down, and stood up. She stepped up to Lucius. His eyes pierced into hers and she felt an odd exposure steal over her…as if he could see her very soul. Gently, she removed the picture from his grasp and put it back. Looking away, she explained.

"_Jane Dagworth _married my father's uncle, Edward Granger. She hyphenated the name in order to keep her wizard family's last name. It lessened the blow of the heir of the Dagworth Estate marrying a mere muggle. She loved my father as her own son. When I was born and it became apparent that I had magical abilities she insisted my parents move into the estate so that I would not enter the wizarding world at eleven totally ignorant of it."

Lucius' eyes followed her as she spoke and proceeded to look over wall hangings and packing up little things sitting on tables and such.

"Miss Granger, if I am not mistaken, Jane Dagworth-_Granger_ did have a son of her own."

She stopped what she was doing and looked at Lucius as if he should know the problem there.

"Yes and he died a Death Eater."

The hate came out in the vehemence of her voice. She surveyed Lucius for a moment.

"Don't worry, Professor Malfoy, your world has not changed a bit…I am still a Mudblood."

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Lucius stood at the window looking down at the grounds behind the estate. He watched the small figure that was illuminated by what little bit of moonlight there was. She sat in the grass with her knees drawn up to her, resting her chin on them. Her gaze traveled across the small lake and even from where he was at, he could tell she had been crying. He was reminded of his seventeen year old self watching her from a distance. It angered him. She was in Slytherin…she should have been pureblood, but no…she was tainted.

Something in the sky caught Lucius' eye. It was small, but seemed to be flying closer as the size grew. Wind swirled into the room as Severus flew in the window.

"Hello Severus," Lucius greeted him as he dismounted the broom.

"Lucius. I trust you delivered the phial to the Headmistress?"

"Yes, I did."

They stared at each other in silence for a moment, as if a silent duel of the wills was in progress. Severus' eyes shifted to over his shoulder at the girl down by the lake. The wind circled the room again. Severus' eyes shifted back to Lucius.

"Has the Headmistress shown the Potter brat yet?"

With a small smirk, Lucius shook his head no.

"He insists on Miss Granger accompanying him through it, so it is waiting until we return."

Severus nodded curtly and mounted his broom. Without another word, Severus flew off and disappeared into the darkened sky he had come from. Glancing back out his window, Lucius saw Hermione moving back inside. As quiet as any Slytherin, Lucius moved down the stairs and waited in the darkness of the drawing room for her to enter. From where he stood by the fireplace, he could see through the archway to the door, Hermione came in from. Remus was standing there waiting for her with open arms. Lucius felt an odd beat of his heart as he watched Remus kiss the top of her head before leaving her to turn in for the night.

When Hermione stepped into the drawing room, she felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Lucius sat in a chair with his eyes trained on her as if she were a servant beneath him who had misbehaved. The only light in the room was from the fireplace and it gave Lucius an almost angelic glow. He stood and took a couple steps closer to her and for a moment Hermione was back in Lucius' seventh year and those eyes were piercing her soul. Then reality crashed back down on her and she felt the intimidation that accompanied those demanding eyes.

"So, Miss Granger, for what reason are you giving all this up," he asked motioning around him. "You are giving up a legacy."

Hermione's eyes narrowed at him. She felt a heat rise to her cheeks.

"Professor Malfoy, as you said it is the Dagworth Estate…_pureblooded wizards_. I am a muggleborn who just happened to inherit its burden. I think it is safe to say this is not my legacy."

He surveyed her for a moment and for a moment, he was in seventh year again wanting to reach out and pull her to him. For a moment, she was before him, frightened of her own bed looking to him for protection.

"Do you understand _what_ you are giving up?"

"Do _you _understand what I am giving up, Professor?"

Hermione looked around the room as she circled it.

"In this very room I took my first steps."

She stepped through the archway into another room and stopped. Lucius hadn't moved, remaining in the drawing room wondering what she was doing.

"Are you coming Professor?"

With a snarl of disgust, he followed her into the conservatory with his mind wondering how Severus survived all those years as her professor.

"In this room I learned classical piano from Aunt Jane."

She walked into a large room that served as the ballroom when parties were held.

"In this room I danced my first dance with the first man in my life…my father."

He followed her into the library.

"In this room I learned to read sitting on my mother's lap and found my first magical book. In this room I read my first letter from Hogwarts."

She went into the dining room and spoke as her fingers gently caressed the long table as she walked its length.

"In this room I stayed in the most trouble…from transfiguring my baby food into pudding to sliding in socked feet across the polished table onto piles of pillows I would place on the floor." She stopped and laughed slightly. "I still have the scar from one incident I missed the pillows and hit my head."

Lucius kept his eyes on her watching the memories flash in her eyes before she spoke. She swept from the room and into a small room surrounded by windows and filled with wonderful flowers. Her heart was pounding hard against her chest, but she continued on. He may be an evil Death Eater, but she would make him understand if it killed her. Her voice became small and faltered as she spoke.

"In this room Death Eaters killed my mother and father. In this room my father begged me to run for my life."

He could see the tears in her eyes as she opened the door leading out near the lake. He followed her across the grass, toward the woods next to the lake. She stopped at the edge of the wood and looked back at the estate. The wind circling them, indicated rain was on its way. She took a deep breath that didn't seem to help as the emotions seemed to take over her and her chest began to heave in deep breaths.

"And _this_ is where I took one last look back at the estate. _This_ is where I heard the screams of my parents' last moments. _This_ is where I saw the estate glowing from the green of the Dark Mark floating above it."

Lucius could see the tears slowly streaming down her cheeks. She didn't care anymore though. She looked back at him.

"I want _no part_ of this estate, Professor. You call it a legacy, but it is not my legacy. _I will make my own legacy_."

She angrily wiped tears away. Lucius watched her feeling all the emotions that were flagged solely for her since he was seventeen wash over him. He took a step closer.

"Where is this scar you mentioned?"

She looked at him as if he were mad.

"Right above my neck behind my left ear. It was awful."

He took another step closer and Hermione became a bit uncomfortable, nervous, wondering what he was getting at. His hand moved forward slowly as if he feared scaring a small creature and making it run for cover. His hand reached her hair and ran through it, moving it slowly out of the way. He stepped closer, Hermione, at the feel of his fingertips grazing her neck on their way through her hair, instinctively moved her head back, and to the right a bit, so Lucius could see. She felt his fingers move ever so gently over the scar and felt his breath tickle her neck. Chills ran through her body as her heart began to pound wildly against her chest. The seventeen-year-old Lucius never did anything like this.

Lucius didn't think. He couldn't. For the time, he was seventeen standing outside with Hermione standing before him. Tears still streamed down her cheeks. He began slowly lowering his head as he had moved his hand, as if trying not to frighten a small animal into hiding. Her mind went totally blank. For one nothing existed in her world…nothing except the barely there pressure of Lucius' lips caressing the small scar.


	16. Discovered

Disclaimer: We all know this is not mine.

A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews and keep them coming! Something exciting and hopefully unexpected is coming up in the next chapter! Hehehehe….My mother reads this and I won't even tell her what I have planned….wait…no, I did tell her about this! So, she is the only one! Lol….please review and let me know you are reading!

**Chapter 16**

_Discovered_

_Through the hourglass I saw you  
In time you slipped away  
When the mirror crashed I called you  
And turned to hear you say  
If only for today  
I am unafraid_

Take my breath away

_--Berlin_

Hermione felt as if her world was spinning out of control. Her heart beat so hard against her chest she was sure Lucius could feel it. As his lips hovered slightly over the place he just had them, she felt his breath as he inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly as if trying to control the very urge running through his veins.

Lucius felt her quivering. In that instant he realized she was not shaking in fear of him…no, she was unafraid at that moment. The wind swept down from the estate and circled around them carrying a voice with it.

"Hermione?"

The sound of Remus calling for her snapped Lucius back to reality. He swiftly stepped back from her. Hermione stood immobile as his eyes, colder than ever, locked on hers. The ice pierced her soul and sent shivers down her spine. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around herself as if she were suddenly freezing. Remus was making his way across the grounds toward them. Hermione looked away from Lucius.

"Coming," she said and walked passed Lucius trying with everything in her to determine how and why that had happened. In Lucius' past, in her short time there, he and Hermione were best friends, but he never did anything quite like that. Lucius stood there watching the girl walk toward Remus with a small smile.

As she walked out of site and disappeared into the house, Lucius stood there. Looking around him, he found his mind wandering to all directions. One direction, of course, was the past. When he was seventeen, he never gave any indication of being enamored with her…never. So, what possessed him to kiss her in such an intimate fashion tonight? The more he stood in the night thinking about it the more it became clear. He kissed her like that for one reason: at seventeen he knew she would return and he wanted just one night…one night when he could send her back to her time after telling her how he felt…one night when she wasn't just a friend. Too much separated them even then.

His gaze turned back to the house. He could imagine the Dark Mark rising above the house and could barely fathom the horror Hermione had felt running for her life. Bellatrix had been there, that much he knew. Another thought came to him, hitting him with the force of a hippogriff, reminding him of who he is. If he had not been in a cell in Azkaban, Lucius would have been here that night…he would have been with Bellatrix murdering Hermione's family; he would have been with Bellatrix chasing Hermione through the woods, taunting her. If he was there that night and he did catch her would he have been able to kill her? He hadn't seen the girl in a couple years and had no idea this was his Hermione. Once he cornered her, he would have recognized her. Could he have killed the thing he longed to find all these years? With those thoughts hanging in the night air, Lucius wandered back toward the house in hopes of good nights sleep before the return trip tomorrow.

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The sound echoed down the hallway. It was a strange clapping sound followed by a thumping noise coming from the library. Lucius followed the sound. As Lucius approached the library, he stood in the doorway surveying the scene within. Remus sat in a soft sofa with a book in hand. He would look up toward Hermione every now and then and shake his head at her before returning to his book. Hermione stood on a latter glancing over the books on the shelves. On occasion, she would flick her wand and several books would fly off the shelves, run into each other and fall with a thud into a box.

Hermione stood on the latter, looking behind her. She saw Lucius standing there in his typical black with his hair tied back in a black ribbon. Everything about his presence demanded your attention and submission. Sending a set of books into a box, she hopped down off the latter. She walked toward one of the boxes in order to close it. Lucius stepped further into the room and approached the box Hermione was currently observing the contents as if having second thoughts on taking the books. Lucius picked up one of the books.

"Ah…I see you are taking the rarer and harder to find books of the collection."

Hermione simply nodded her head. She really didn't know what to say or how to say it let alone how to act around him after what he did down by the lake. If he had suddenly started acting like "Lucius best friend from the past" she could have handled that. But he didn't act just as a best friend and that piqued her curiosity to the reality of the past and sent a chill of fear down her spine. He sat the book back in the box.

"You are well within your right to do so," Lucius said as if he knew the doubts she was having about doing so. She looked up at him. Lucius looked at the books and boxes around them. "Jane always kept an extensive library."

Hermione followed his eyes around the room.

"I heard Malfoy Manor has the largest personal library in all of England."

Slowly his eyes turned toward Hermione and looked her up and down. He knew she had read that in a book. It was the typical Hermione he knew in his seventh year and the one he heard complaint about from his son.

"Yes…yes it is. Perhaps one day you will be afforded the opportunity to peruse it."

Lucius didn't seem to notice, but at those words everything in the room seemed to stop moving or breathing—including Remus. His eyes moved out of his book and moved back and forth between Lucius and Hermione. Hermione stood frozen to the spot. Was she just invited to Malfoy Manor by the Death Eater? That thought struck a chord in her memory as Lucius left the room to pack his things. She walked over and sat next to Remus. Remus watched her move across the room toward him and sit and simply waited for her to speak.

"Remus, why did McGonagall send a known Death Eater to 'guard' me? Wouldn't it have been wiser to send an Order member?"

Remus closed his book and sat it aside.

"Hermione, I'm sure she had her reasons. He _is_ a professor at Hogwarts now and can be afforded a little bit of trust with students."

To Remus' surprise, Hermione snorted with a laugh. He looked at her with a mixture of shock and curiosity.

"Yea," Hermione intimated. "So was Snape and look where that got us."

Remus looked Hermione up and down observing the way her body grew stiff at the name and the hate that bounced in her eyes…not as intense as what was witnessed in Harry, but similar. Hermione's held a bit of fear and Remus understood why. She was always talking about the wards around Hogwarts and how safe it was…there was no place safer. Her world that was so safe to her crumbled when Death Eaters swept through the halls, harming those she cared for and killing one. He placed his arm around her shoulders pulling her toward him to comfort her.

"Yes, Hermione. And when given the assignment to protect you at all costs Snape did so. If I'm not mistaken, he sent you and Luna into his office to care for Flitwick rather than back up into the madness of curses flying around the floor above?"

He felt Hermione nod her head.

"Yes, but he still killed Dumbledore."

"Oh Hermione," He kissed the top of her head. "Have you ever asked yourself why? People are not always what they seem."

He felt her lips turn up in a smile against his chest.

"I've heard that one before," she whispered.

Remus chuckled.

"Yes, at some point Dumbledore has said that to us all."

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Hermione said goodbye to the Dagworth Estate and its remaining wait staff. It was evident to Lucius that Hermione was most well liked by the staff by the teary goodbyes she received. There was one set of goodbyes given by Joseph and Janet that stirred the pot of emotions in Lucius and put him on edge about his own behavior. First, apparently, Joseph and Janet were husband and wife. Janet gave Hermione a motherly hug followed by Joseph giving her a fatherly hug.

"You have grown so much Miss Hermione…._Hermione_," Joseph said. Lucius watched and knew these people had known Hermione since she was a baby and now they had to relinquish the only remaining parental grip on this orphan of a child and let her go out into the wizarding world alone. During all this, Hermione stood in the middle of Remus and Lucius.

Joseph's eyes, which had been so warm toward Hermione, turned cold upon Lucius. As they shook hands, Joseph's eyes never left Lucius'. Suddenly his eyes softened as he cut his eyes quickly toward Hermione and then back to Lucius. The coldness gone.

"I implore you, Mister Malfoy. Take care of her. You'll never find anyone better."

Lucius felt heat rise throughout his body. An uncomfortable realization spread over Lucius. Jane was something of an oddity in the wizarding world, insisting all her help was taught Occlumancy and Legilimancy. She felt family secrets should remain in the house and those who questioned her staff would not receive information through other means. That and it kept Hermione out of too much trouble.

The smile on Remus' face could not be hid as he watched Lucius turn a shade paler. They climbed into the car and Joseph drove them to Kings Cross in silence.

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As they entered the train compartment, Remus rushed over to one seat and propped his feet up spreading out, preventing anyone from sitting next to him. Hermione watched him feeling rather vexed by his behavior. It was like watching the Marauder in him come out. Having no other choice, Lucius and Hermione sat next to each other across from Remus.

The train ride proceeded in silence. About every thirty minutes, Remus or Lucius would rise and leave the compartment to patrol the corridors for anything suspicious. It was so much a part of their routine while traveling like this that Hermione didn't even look up from her book when one of them left the compartment.

It was between patrolling times while they were all in the compartment when the thud of a book hitting the ground drew Lucius and Remus' attention toward their charge in the compartment. Hermione was asleep. No one said anything initially. Remus bent down from his seat and picked up Hermione's book. As he did so, Hermione shifted in her seat and proceeded to lay herself down. Her legs curled up to her and her head landed gently into Lucius' lap. Lucius felt sudden panic surge through him. What in the name of Merlin was she doing? He was no longer seventeen years old…this was the present day…he only acted as her guard on this trip because of his duty as her professor. She was still a Mudblood.

Remus looked from Lucius' stiff form to Hermione and then out the window.

"You know I remember her too."

Slowly Remus moved his eyes back in front of him where they met Lucius'.

"Pardon me," Lucius said as calmly as humanly possible.

Remus smiled slightly and looked down at her sleeping form again.

"I remember Hermione being there…in Slytherin, in my first year." There was silence so Remus continued. "I also remember how close you two appeared to be. It really was no secret how you felt Lucius."

"Mister Lupin I really do not know what you are referring to. Yes, her little trip to the past was a most unfortunate event, but nothing more than that."

Remus shook his head.

"I was only eleven Lucius and I could see it. And I dare say I was not the only one who could see it. You never told her before she returned did you?"

The cold grey eyes of Lucius Malfoy penetrated Remus, but he seemed not to notice.

"Mister Lupin an entire lifetime has separated us since then coupled with a couple very well placed lies. I hardly think the foolish inconsistencies of a young heart matter at this point."

"Inconsistencies? Really Lucius? You seemed rather consistent if I recall."

The acrid look upon Lucius' face told Remus the conversation was over. Rising, Remus excused himself to patrol the corridor once more.

Left alone in the compartment with Hermione sleeping on his lap, Lucius couldn't help but to let a bit of the walls around him down. No one was there to see. He set his serpent cane against the wall next to him. His posture relaxed only a tad. Looking down at the girl he gently moved the hair over her shoulder so he could see her face. She looked peaceful and relaxed, just as he remembered her looking when she would fall asleep next to him…afraid to be in her room. He didn't understand what struck fear deep in her back then, but now he understood. She couldn't sleep in the same room as her parents' murderer. However, he had to wonder how she could possibly look at him back then without feeling the contempt for him that was rightfully earned. The more he pondered this the more he came to realize she tried everything she could to keep her distance from him at first. She did try to keep her distance, knowing what he would grow to be and knowing what she was. Taking a deep breath, as if something had stolen it away, Lucius looked away from her face and out at the passing landscape.

Darkness was falling.

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Harry and Ron paced around the corridor waiting for Hermione to step into the castle safely back from her trip. Outside the gates of Hogwarts Remus had stepped out of the carriage and now helped Hermione out. Lucius followed her out. All three had their cloaks on and hoods up as they traveled swiftly from the gates to the doors of the castle. Hermione's heart thudded with each step, anxious to get back to normal and yet, fearing it. Once she walked through those doors Lucius was her professor again. Not her friend from the past…her enemy and her professor. Swallowing any and all sorrow for the loss of a "friend," they stepped into the castle.

As soon as her body registered the dryness around her, she lowered her hood only to be tackled by two rather tall boys. Lucius felt the snarl form on his face as he watched this cornucopia of love between Hermione and these boys. The boys were trying to talk to her at the same time, each with their own story to tell her not noticing the other was speaking at the same time. Her laughter rang out as she held her hands up indicating them to hush up.

"Just a moment."

She turned around and thanked Lucius, he simply nodded curtly as if it were a painful charge he had. Remus she hugged and her thank you sounded much more heart felt. Lucius stood there, sneer in place, as he watched the trio with their arms around each other make their way merrily up to Gryffindor tower talking all at once again.

Later that night, Ron had gone to bed leaving Hermione and Harry alone in the common room. Hermione looked around nervously and decided he was her best bet. She stood up and threw herself on the sofa next to him.

"Can I talk to you Harry?"

He turned his gaze from the fire, quite curious and slightly worried and nodded his head. She took a deep breath and then told him all about Lucius down by the lake, though she left out any details alluding to an actual estate. When she finished the short tale, Harry was staring into the fire shaking his head.

"What is it Harry?"

Harry slowly turned his head toward Hermione and she could see the small smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Hermione you are a brilliant witch. You have a knack for seeing the obvious in other's relationships, but when it comes to your own you are oblivious to the obvious."

Her forehead crinkled up in confusion as she looked at Harry waiting for a response. He held out his hand.

"Let me see any of those past pictures you found."

Very curious as to what Harry was on about, Hermione bent down into her bag and pulled out three pictures. Harry took them and glanced over each one before handing them back to her. His smile was gone. The playfulness was gone. His eyes stared into hers and the fire warmed the air around them.

"Look at these pictures again, Hermione. Look at the way _this _Lucius looked at you…even when you weren't aware of it."

Feeling worried and anxious at what Harry meant she flipped through the three pictures. It was like seeing the pictures through different eyes. Beyond the now intimate knowledge of the events in the pictures, she now saw little things she paid no attention to before…little things Harry had noticed. The warmness in Lucius' eyes when he looked at her, the way his eyes would linger longingly on her after she had returned to whatever work she was doing…the way his hand would reach out for her, but then pull away.

"Oh Merlin," she whispered.

Harry smiled slightly and reached over to a table where an envelope sat.

"Not to make matters worse or anything, but Collin took this picture at the masquerade." As he handed it to her, she looked at him curiously and slowly opened it. It was a picture of her and Lucius dancing…he was holding her up close to him and their eyes were locked. In the picture, Lucius twirled her out and then brought her back close to him…never letting his eyes drift from her.

Harry could see the questions running through her mind.

"Don't worry, Collin doesn't know who he was. Neither does most of the school for that matter, but it has become quite the topic of discussion as you know."

She looked up at him hopefully.

"So no one knows?"

Harry shrugged.

"I figured out who he was and I think Draco did, but no one else."

Hermione nodded her head and looked back down at the pictures. She wanted to get up and run to Lucius and ask him if what Harry was seeing was true. She couldn't do that though. He would scorn her for being a stupid Mudblood and send her on her way. He would laugh at her gullibility. She shoved the pictures back in her bag, shaking her head.

"I don't know Harry. I just wish I could forget."

She stood up, shouldering her bag.

"Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight."

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A few days later found Lucius observing Hermione at breakfast again. She was the first of the trio to arrive for breakfast. At first, she took a couple of bites and then proceeded simply to move the food around on her plate. Before the boys entered the Great Hall, Hermione pushed her food completely away and pulled the book she was reading closer to her.

Hermione looked up and smiled at the boys as they sat down and began piling their plates with food. As the morning post flew in, Hermione paid the owl for the Daily Prophet. Another owl flew over Harry's head and as it flew over it dropped something that fell delicately into Harry's hand. The chain snaked out of his hand, draping over his fingers. He slowly opened his hand to look at it. Hermione had been watching and now slowly lowered that paper. Leaning closer to Harry, she whispered to him.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Her eyes were wide with wonder, amazement, and excitement. Harry couldn't even speak. He simply nodded his head as a smile formed on his face and then faltered at how much damage this necklace had caused. A serious pensive look formed on Harry's face as he pocketed the locket. His eyes met Hermione's.

"We have about a week before Christmas Holiday. We destroy it the night before we leave."

Hermione nodded. Standing up they all headed toward their first class. Above them the magical ceiling reflecting the soft white pure flakes of snow that began to drift to the ground outside.


	17. Nothing Matters

Disclaimer: Not mine as you all know.

A/N: okay…please review or I'll start wondering if anyone is reading. Something hopefully unexpected happens in this chapter…but its all part of the plan…hehehehe…please let me know what you think.

**Chapter 17**

_Nothing Matters_

_Time is a valuable thing_

_Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings_

_Watch it count down to the end of the day_

_The clock ticks life away_

_It's_ _so unreal_

_Didn't look out below_

_Watch the time go right out the window_

_Trying to hold on_

_But didn't even know_

_Wasted it all just to_

_Watch you go_

_I kept everything inside and even though I tried_

_It all fell apart_

_What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when_

_I tried so hard _

_And got so far_

_But in the end_

_It doesn't even matter_

_I had to fall_

_And_ _lose it all_

_But in the end_

_It doesn't even matter_

_--Linkin Park_

Hermione stood outside the DADA classroom. She felt each of her best friends squeeze a shoulder in encouragement. By now, Ron knew what had happened also. Taking a deep breath, she walked through the doors confident in knowing that Lucius would not be there yet. She led the way to their usual seats, Hermione sat at the end of their row, on the isle, and Harry sat next to her and Ron on the other side of Harry.

Her eyes scanned the classroom taking in everything and everyone. Whispers and giggles mingled with the sound of shuffling books and parchment. Bending down into her bag, Hermione fished around for her ink, quill, and parchment. Having that sat in there precise spots on her desk, she reached back into her bag for her textbook. After a couple of seconds of looking, she found it and pulled it out. She noticed four pictures float out from beneath the book and land on the floor. To her horror, she noticed they were the three pictures from the past plus the picture Collin took at the masquerade.

Hermione froze at first. Panic surged through her. Did anyone notice and if anyone did what then? Her eyes quickly looked in all directions and deciphered that everyone was in their own world, not noticing what the bookworm was doing. Sighing in relief, she leant over to retrieve the pictures. She was too late. Lucius had stepped into the classroom when the pictures fell to the floor and watched them land. As he swept up the isle, he bent down noticing what they were exactly. Hermione watched his pale hands pick the pictures up from the ground and quickly place them in a pocket on the inside of his robes.

"See me after class Miss Granger."

He didn't look at her when he said that. He looked straight ahead as if she was not worthy enough to acknowledge visually.

"Yes sir."

She sank into her seat, dreading what was to come. As soon as Lucius faced the class he motioned for attention.

"You will be partnered up for a Defense Against the Dark Arts project. This will not be due until March 15th. You will need to have a demonstration ready on this date along with a very lengthy report. You will need to demonstrate that you actually understand the theory behind whatever you choose for your project. Now, partners…"

Hermione sat in horror as she listened to Lucius, Professor Malfoy, call out the partners. His own son was in that class so surely he would place his son with someone his son actually wanted to work with right? As the names of the students in the class slowly ticked away Hermione began to doubt her chances of being partnered with anyone worthy.

"…Draco, you will partner with Miss Granger."

Hermione didn't think the day could get any worse.

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Hermione took her time packing her books up after class. Harry and Ron were already at the door looking back at her with a look of pity. No one had been told to stay after class by Lucius Malfoy before, not yet anyway. Hermione was the first and no one could figure out what exactly she had done to be detained. Harry and Ron had noticed the pictures fall, but like her, they felt a slight panic…especially when Lucius himself picked them up.

Looking back at her friends, she offered a small reassuring smile before they nodded and pointed down the corridor to indicate they would wait for her. She nodded and they left. She watched the door slowly shut behind them. At the clicking sound of the door shutting in place, the classroom was empty of everyone else. Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was no getting out of this.

The sound of his shoes echoed as he took two steps toward her.

"We need to discuss these."

Slowly she turned around to find him standing across from her with only her desk separating them. He placed the pictures on the desk. Hermione kept her head held high as her eyes shifted slightly to look down at the pictures.

"Where did you find these?"

Hermione was silent for a moment.

"I am sure you know where the photo of the masquerade came from. As for the others…I found them in the cabin."

Silence followed. Hermione kept her head held high and Lucius looked down his nose at her surveying every inch of her for some sign of fault in her answer. He found none. When he next spoke, it was so abrupt and unexpected that at first Hermione felt she had nothing to say.

"Miss Granger I cannot give you whatever it is you want." He pointed at the pictures. "I am not that person anymore."

Hermione's eyes looked into Lucius' eyes and she laughed slightly.

"Actually, you are."

Lucius' eyes narrowed onto her as if waiting for any reason to strike out at her.

"You see Professor, even then you were still foul towards muggle-borns and held a certain standard as being above all others. You were still _you_, I think I just saw another side to you is all."

His lip curled up in a disgusting sneer.

"As I have already told one person…a life time separates us along with a few lies."

Hermione felt slightly confused.

"Lies sir?"

Lucius stood himself up straighter and looked down at her.

"Yes," he hissed. "I do not recall you telling me you were a Mudblood."

The word had always hurt. Anyone calling you names hurt, but this was something new. This time when Lucius Malfoy called her a Mudblood it seemed to cut to the core. He noticed the tears in her eyes and looked away from them. She kept her head held high even as the tears slid down her cheeks.

"And you see why I did not announce that being in Slytherin," Hermione said. "That is only one debatable lie…you have indicated others."

Lucius did not respond. He simply continued to sneer at her as he always did…as his son always did.

"Don't fret over it, Professor Malfoy. When I went back and we became friends I knew what I was returning to…I knew I would be returning not to a friend but to an enemy."

Hermione tossed her bag over her shoulder and turned, storming out the door. As the door shut after her, she leaned against it willing her heart to slow down and wishing the pain in her heart away. The words from his mouth still echoed "Mudblood" in her mind and her tears continued to fall as she leaned her head back against the door. In the classroom, Lucius reached the door as it shut. His hand reached out, placing his palm on the door and leaning his forehead against the door next to his hand. After a moment or two of slow deep breaths to calm himself he turned back toward the desk they had been standing at. The pictures sat on the desk as if abandoned and unwanted.

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They had been in the library for about an hour working on research for their DADA project. Draco sat across from Hermione watching her studious movements and reflecting on his earlier discoveries in a conversation with his father.

The girl in the pictures he had found hidden away in his father's desk was Hermione Granger. Draco's only clasp of reality was that his father was unaware that she was a Mudblood when they met in the past. As he watched her work, he could understand how a seventeen-year-old version of his father, ignorant of her inferior birth could fall for her. However, his father did not say he had fallen for her, only that they were friends, but Draco _saw_ the pictures.

Hermione sighed, placing her quill down and stretching. It was a Saturday and everyone would be leaving the next day for holiday. She and Draco appeared to be the only ones left in the library. Her eyes wandered to the window and watched the light snowfall. Draco squirmed slightly in his chair when Hermione looked back to him with a strange mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Why don't we continue this after holiday?"

Draco's eyes narrowed suspiciously at her as she packed up her books. Her bag was already over her shoulder and heading toward the door when Draco's voice followed behind her.

"What's this? _The _Hermione Granger is setting aside study for play?"

She stopped walking away and slowly turned around. Draco still sat at the table, with his feet propped up, leaning back in his chair, with his hands behind his head. The smirk was enough to make her want to slap him. She walked determinedly back to him. Slamming her hands on the table, she leaned over to stare Draco in the eyes.

"For your information, Malfoy I do enjoy a little play…_especially_ in the snow."

Draco pulled his feet down and leaned over even closer to Hermione. A clear smirk upon his face.

"What are you saying, Granger."

He noted how well she could smirk also.

"I'm saying…come on out, Malfoy and join the games…" She stood back up and began to walk away calling over her shoulder, "unless you are too _scared_."

Hermione smiled victoriously to herself as she walked through the corridors knowing Draco was behind her. He never could resist a challenge. As she stepped out of the castle and onto the grounds, she could hear the shouts and the laughter. As they drew closer, it looked like an all out war going on between all the houses. Standing on a boulder, with his camera, was Collin. He didn't appear to be participating at all.

"Here comes Granger!"

Draco chuckled at that…it sounded like a Slytherin.

"Oh, yes, one rule Malfoy."

His attention was diverted to Hermione as she walked them right into the center of the war zone. She saw the snowball coming and ducked. The snow hit Draco square in the face.

"No magic," she finished and disappeared from his site as he wiped snow from his face and ducked from another snowball, diving toward a few fellow Slytherins he saw. He was determined to get Hermione back for her tactics—walking him right in the center like that. Every time he got a glimpse of her, she would disappear. He couldn't help but laugh to himself at her Slytherin tactics in snowball fights.

Her laughter floated toward him. Inching his way along a small boulder he looked around it and found Hermione crouched behind another similar sized boulder. She caught a couple Ravenclaws. With her wand pointed at them, she swirled it slightly creating a snowdrift to circle the Ravenclaws disrupting any visual they could possibly have around them.

"Now," Hermione yelled at someone on the other side. Gryffindors came out of nowhere it seemed and pummeled the Ravenclaws with snowballs.

"She said no magic."

Draco looked back at the couple Slytherins he was with. They simply stared at him as if he were mad. Then the sound of a familiar chuckled caught his attention. Blaise was easing his way toward Draco trying not to be detected.

"You actually _believed_ Granger?"

Draco looked at his friend waiting for further explanation. Blaise eased up beside Draco and patted him on the back.

"She tells all the new players that. She is more Slytherin than I am willing to admit out loud in the common room."

Snowballs flew their way. They all ducked and scurried back behind a rock. Draco was getting a clear picture of what Granger was like doing this…she took no prisoners and everyone seemed to fear her. The smirk formed and Blaise knew what that meant.

"Do it, Draco," Blaise said reading Draco correctly, "it's about time someone takes the know-it-all down."

Draco smiled and looked at Blaise.

"That Mudblood is going down."

Meantime, Hermione was enjoying herself for the first time in what seemed like forever. It felt great to get out in the snow in an all out war and forget everything. It felt great to just let loose and be free. The cold air was chilling and the snow numbing. Snow clung to her hair from her various dives and near misses. She had just cast a charm to cause the little snow flurry once again and yelled out, "now," once again when she suddenly fell to the ground. Someone had tackled her from behind.

As Hermione twisted her body around to see who it was, they stood and lifted her off the ground. Draco Malfoy had her. He threw her over his shoulder as if she were nothing. Hermione kicked and screamed. Suddenly, it was all the houses against Gryffindor. Draco smiled at the irony of it all. The Gryffindors were the only ones to roar in outrage that Malfoy was currently toting their friend off over his shoulder.

"Put me down, Malfoy!"

Draco smirked as he came to a spot piled high in snow.

"No problem, Granger."

And Draco put her down…face first into the snow. There was a cry of outrage from the Gryffindors and everyone else burst forth in laughter and applause.

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Lucius stood at the window in his office watching the antics of the students below. They were in nothing short of war. He was about to turn away from the window when he noticed Hermione heading out to the battlefield…his son in tow. He watched curiously, as Hermione said something to Draco and then ducked and scurried away. As his son dived out of the way of incoming snowballs, Lucius began to wonder if Draco and Hermione were actually having a civil moment.

Time passed and Lucius could not pull himself away from the window. From his view he could see it all…including Hermione's sly tactics of disrupting the opponents' visual to allow for an easy attack. His eyes remained on Hermione. The chilly breeze would ruffle her snow-laden hair. Her cheeks and nose were both rosy from the freezing weather, but she seemed to glow with laughter. He watched not being able to remember her laughing like this at any point in this time. It had been so long and he found himself longing to see her laugh like that more.

She laughed like that in his past with him, but upon her return to the present…nothing. Her words replayed in his mind. _I knew I would be returning not to a friend but to an enemy. _No, she would not laugh like that with an enemy. She would only laugh like that with true friends…friends that could sit down with her when she felt down…friends that could help chase the demons away. In this place and time, Lucius knew he was one of those demons and Potter and Weasley were the friends.

He watched his son place her face first in the snow. When her body began to shake, he thought maybe she was crying. Her face turned up to look at Draco who seemed quite proud of himself. Her face was beaming as she laughed so hard with snow on her face, clutching her sides. The other participants' laughter reached his ears. Lucius turned away from the window and began to follow the corridors leading to the door out on the grounds. He didn't know where he was going, only that he needed a walk to clear his head.

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Hermione closed her trunk and looked around her room trying to decide if she were forgetting to pack anything. The next morning they would be boarding the Hogwarts Express to return to Grimmauld Place for Christmas. Taking in everything that had happened since she last saw Grimmauld Place, she felt a slow sinking feeling, as if something was lost. She heard Harry calling her and pushed all other thoughts aside. Grabbing her wand, she headed out her door and down the girls' staircase.

They were heading for the Room of Requirement. The plan was to enter the Room of Requirement, where they would destroy the locket, and get back to the common room before curfew. Hermione walked with the boys holding tight the book and her notes on destroying the horcrux. Silent anticipation hung in the air as they walked across the floor three times before the door appeared.

The room they stepped into was nothing more than stone with several candelabra along the wall. In the center of the room was what looked like a stone podium. It was round and the side was engraved in runes. Harry shrugged his shoulders and walked up to the podium placing the locket on it. He took a step back and looked at it. Hermione and Ron each stepped up on either side of him and simply stared at the innocent looking keepsake.

"Are we ready," Harry asked Hermione. She nodded her head and opened the book in her hand. Thumbing through a couple pages of notes, she turned back to the book.

"Okay…well acquiring the horcrux has already been established…obviously…so…" Hermione was mumbling to herself as keeping herself calm and organized. She pulled her wand out while holding the book open with one hand. She pointed her wand at the locket.

"Evertere," Hermione said in a strong demanding voice.

Harry and Ron's eyes widened in amazement and shock as a red light shot from the end of Hermione's wand. It hit the locket and suddenly a burst of light lit the whole room and with an unforeseen force, sent Hermione flying backward through the air. They ran toward her in alarm as her prone body hit the wall and slid down to the ground as still as death. When they reached her, they noticed the trickle of blood coming from behind her head and slowly making its way down her neck.

"We have to get her to Madame Pomfrey," Harry said in a quick authoritative tone. Ron nodded his head in agreement. Harry looked around him quickly as if searching for something. Quickly he ran up to the podium. The locket sat there…a crack running right through the locket. With a strange smile, Harry pocketed it and then ran back to Hermione.

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She felt funny…surreal even. The light in the room she was in was dim, but still it seemed so bright and out of focus at the same time.

"She's waking up, Madame Pomfrey!"

She winced at the sound of the loud voice laced with anxiety. As her eyesight slowly came into focus, she noticed the two boys standing by her bed watching her. They both looked so vexed. One with red hair looked at her with a nervous scrunching of his eyebrows. The other boy with black messy hair and striking green eyes looked simply worried and yet relieved to see her awake. Her eyes narrowed on the black haired boy before realization hit her like a brick wall.

"Holy cricket, _you're _Harry Potter."

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Lucius Malfoy had rounds to do that night before finishing packing. With his cane in hand, he made his way through the corridors searching for students out past curfew. His mind drifted to thoughts of what was to come…thoughts of Draco taking the Hogwarts Express home for the holiday…the Fidelius Charm being placed on the manor…the lies that have been told. He was in the midst of these thoughts as images of Hermione in the snow earlier that day invaded him. It was then that the Head Boy, his own son, ran up to him.

"What is it Draco?"

Lucius voice held that same bored tone as if it was typical for Draco to run up to him looking pale and panicked.

"Father, the Headmistress has asked me to bring you to the hospital wing immediately."

Lucius looked his son up and down trying to determine for what reason McGonagall would have the Head Boy in the hospital wing at this time and then send him out for his father. Draco's face melted from the typical unaffected appearance he held when talking to his father to that of concern. It was then that the words were whispered to his father.

"It's Granger. She destroyed the horcrux and now…"

Draco didn't get a chance to finish. Lucius immediately began to stride as quickly as possible toward his destination. The girl had destroyed the horcrux…and now what had become of her? He stepped into the hospital wing carrying an air of superiority and unconcern. He noticed McGonagall standing next to a bed with Madame Pomfrey still fussing over its occupant. McGonagall turned when she heard the door shut behind Lucius and watched him walk over. Concern was evident on her face as she looked back at Hermione. Lucius eyes glanced quickly over Hermione noticing that something just didn't seem right. It was her eyes…they seemed…empty and lost.

"There has been an accident, Professor Malfoy," McGonagall began.

As McGonagall spoke, Lucius heard Hermione whisper to his son who stood on the other side of the bed and Madame Pomfrey.

"Who is that man?"

Draco looked unsure as to what to say. McGonagall's attention turned toward the girl in the bed.

"This is one of your professors, Miss Granger. Now, if you will excuse us for a moment."

McGonagall walked a few beds over and beckoned Lucius to follow. He pulled his eyes away from Hermione and followed the Headmistress.

"She has lost her memory?"

McGonagall nodded her head.

"From what we can tell she still has knowledge of the academic kind—spells and such, but memories are gone."

Lucius' eyes wandered to Hermione again as he spoke to McGonagall.

"And how does this concern me?"

McGonagall gave Lucius her "not now" look in regards to his behavior.

"Madame Pomfrey says she will most likely regain her memories, but not immediately. I can't have her at Grimmauld Place at this time. She needs to be somewhere she is more easily looked after."

"And that cannot be done at Grimmauld Place? Home of the Order of the Phoenix."

McGonagall sighed in exasperation.

"No, she could be looked after, but not properly. Too much is going on Lucius. Too many people will be in and out and all the activity is likely to overwhelm her."

Lucius lifted an eyebrow at the Headmistress.

"Are you forgetting the Christmas ball I planned to hold?"

She shook her head no.

"That is one event, one night. Unless you plan on the place crawling with Death Eaters then I don't see the danger in the events of that one night. The Fidelius Charm is complete on Malfoy Manor now. You will all be safe."

Lucius sighed in defeat. All he wanted after the blasted girl went to the past was for her to suffer as he had and now…now, she doesn't even know who he is let alone any past they had.

"Very well. But I think it best if she travels by floo with me instead of the train. Fewer eyes to see her with myself."

McGonagall nodded in agreement and headed back to Hermione. Once again time ticked by and Lucius never told her how he felt. Now, it was like being at the beginning again…the beginning where he knew their past and she was ignorant of it.

"Miss Granger. Tomorrow is the start of the holiday and you will accompany Professor Malfoy to his home for the holidays. I must ask you not to leave the grounds of Malfoy Manor while you are there."

Hermione nodded her head in understanding. Hermione looked around at all the faces trying to remember at least one of them. She got a strange feeling when she looked at the Malfoys. It was as if she should know them or had in another life, but nothing more than that. It was as if her memories had become a black hole. Her eyes looked from Draco to Lucius.

"I understand, but why can I not go home to my own parents?"


	18. Far Away

Disclaimer: Not mine as you know.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews and please keep them coming! Oh…a heads up: in this chapter there is the mention of seeing with all your sensing. I am explaining so I don't get any "doesn't make sense" comments. It does make sense—when deep in meditation, when you have let everything go, try it…its amazing. Okay….so with that over with please review okay?

Next Chapter: Christmas presents and more memories to come…though maybe not so pleasant.

**Chapter 18**

_Far Away_

_It' s the way you love me  
It's a feeling like this  
It's centrifugal motion  
It's perpetual bliss  
It's that pivotal moment  
It's, ah, impossible  
This kiss, this kiss  
Unstoppable  
This kiss, this kiss_

_--Faith Hill_

She stared into his eyes, unblinking, waiting for an answer. She could feel the tension all around her. No one seemed to want to answer her. Why couldn't she spend the holiday with her own parents? Why all the fuss? The Headmistress who looked stern only moments ago, features softened as she looked at Hermione.

"Well, Miss Granger. Your parents passed away this past summer."

A small barely audible "oh," was Hermione's reaction. She stared at her hands resting in her lap. In the moments following, the Headmistress sent Draco on his way and excused herself for the night.

Lucius stood there though. His eyes fixed out the window staring into the night and Hermione wondered what such a man was thinking. Lucius pulled a chair up and sat down. He explained to her that he would gather her things early in the morning and she would meet him in his quarters after lunch where they would use the floo. Hermione listened raptly before speaking.

"Is your wife aware I am arriving with you and Draco?"

Lucius looked at her a moment and decided there was no harm in her knowing some of the truth.

"As your parents, my wife passed away this past summer also."

Hermione looked away feeling ashamed as if she had possibly opened up a wound that was not quite healed and poured salt on it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," she mumbled. It was strange seeing her like this. It was as if she were far away and searching for her way home. Hermione observed this man, her professor and noticed how he didn't truly seem sad at the mention of his wife's death, but something hung over him…something akin to regret. He was looking out the window again when Hermione placed two fingers on the side of his jaw and pushed his face to look at her. Her eyes searched his with an intense desire for understanding and knowledge.

"But…there was someone else…you have lost someone else…it torments you. I can see it in your eyes."

Lucius stood up. How could she suddenly see him so clearly?

"Get some rest, Miss Granger."

Lucius was almost out of the door when Madame Pomfrey stopped him.

"Be careful with her during the holiday Professor Malfoy. Her memory will return, but not all at once. Slowly, _pieces_ of memory will return. Yours and your son's history with Miss Granger is not pleasant and I do not want her returning in need of a break due to anxiety of any sort is that clear?"

Lucius nodded curtly to the medi-witch. He tried to leave, but the medi-witch stopped him.

"One more thing you should be aware of. With the loss of her memories comes the loss of self…without being so concerned with the self and with the brain no longer being hindered by various memories shaping her views she will see things differently…more clearly if you will." Lucius said nothing as he looked the witch up and down. "Professor Malfoy she may say things that are uncomfortable and rather seer like, but she is not a seer or seeing in anyway as one would. She will simply be seeing what anyone who lets go of attachments and sees with all their senses."

With a curt nod of understanding, Lucius left.

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Her dreams were filled with darkness…suffocating darkness. An impending doom interwove the darkness waking her in a cold sweat. Dreamless sleep potion was out of the question because something might trigger a memory, but nothing had that night. After breakfast, Harry, Ron, and Ginny came to tell her bye before they left for the Hogwarts Express. They were strangers to Hermione. She knew who Harry was…who didn't. Beyond knowing the historical significance of Harry Potter, him and everyone else that came to say goodbye were nothing more than strangers. She wasn't even sure who she was. Would she normally hug them goodbye or would she simply shake their hand? She was a stranger to herself.

It was nearing lunchtime. The castle had been emptied of all the students as none of the few that were there was remaining for the holidays. Hermione had just dressed and was sitting on the bed observing the Gryffindor patch on her robes and the Head Girl pin when Draco walked in. Sometime during the night, it was decided that Draco would floo home with his father and Hermione. It was safer that way. From the doorway, he watched her run her fingers over the Gryffindor patch and Head Girl badge before walking in.

"Headmistress McGonagall asked me to escort you to the Great Hall for lunch."

Hermione looked the blonde boy over and nodded. She stood, tossing her robes on leaving them open. She followed Draco through the corridors hoping to see something that seemed familiar. There was nothing. Ahead of her, Draco kept turning to make sure she was still there. Yes, he was hateful to her for all these years, but knowing how his father had felt when his father was his age and seeing the blank stare of lack of recognitions on her face prevented any acts of contempt. He may be a Slytherin and he may be a Death Eater, though not really by choice, but he was still human.

He waited for her to catch up before entering the Great Hall. As they stepped through the door, Hermione noticed there was only one table set up as most people had left the school already. All eyes were on her as she walked in. Draco had the feeling she was on the verge of trying to hide behind him. Lucius' eyes penetrated her in a way none of the other professors sitting at the table did. Instinctively, her hand reached out and grabbed Draco's arm.

Draco turned his head around slightly to look at her and then where she had grabbed his arm. She began to wonder if this was something abnormal for her. Her eyes were pleading and Draco could say nothing. He led her to her seat across from his father. Tentatively she sat down. Placing her napkin in her lap, she glanced around the table. There was the occasional sympathetic smile from professors that obviously knew her, but she had no idea who they were.

Across from her, Lucius observed her as he ate his lunch and spoke a word here and there to his son or other professors. His eyes seemed to keep their watch on her though. She was pale; her eyes appeared sunken; she looked withered and worn as someone who spent an entire night without sleep. She was eating though…that was something she had not been doing a lot.

"Did you sleep well last night, Miss Granger?"

Hermione eyes lifted from her plate and looked toward Draco who was simply looking between her and his father. Hermione's eyes felt stuck on Lucius. She swallowed her food and looked away before speaking very softly.

"Yes, just fine thanks."

Lucius looked her over and she had the feeling he knew better. Instead, he raised an eyebrow at her as if asking her if that was the answer she wanted to give.

Lunch was over fairly quickly and Hermione was sent off down the corridor with Lucius and Draco. Once again, she lagged behind observing her surrounding hoping for something to jog her memory. Nothing. By the time they reached Lucius' quarters, she had given up on recognizing anything. She followed them through the door and straight to a fireplace across the room. She watched Draco throw the pinch of floo powder in and say the words sending him home. Lucius and Hermione were left alone in his quarters. The moments of silence stretched out before them.

"It would be best if we flooed together, Miss Granger."

When Lucius finally spoke, Hermione started. Nodding her head, she took his proffered hand. In one swift movement, he pulled her into the fireplace and into his arms. When his arms wrapped protectively around her she felt strange warmth. She liked that feeling and at the same time, it was oddly familiar. It was odd to feel such warmth from someone who obviously possessed such a cold demeanor. It didn't matter. Her head lay on his chest and she felt the deep vibration of his voice when he called out "Malfoy Manor."

The moment they stepped out of the turquoise flames, Lucius let go of Hermione. Her eyes searched the opulent drawing room. Lucius watched her as she took a few steps forward farther away from the fireplace. In the middle of the drawing room, in the center of a rug, she looked around her. Lucius knew what she was doing.

"Nothing here inside the manor will seem familiar. This is your first visit."

Her eyes fell to her feet. Lucius looked around the room; Draco was nowhere to be found.

"Follow me Miss Granger. I will show you your room."

Hermione followed Lucius up the grand curving staircase. Her eyes absorbed everything around her from the mahogany banister intertwined with holly for the Christmas season to the portraits lining the walls. He walked her passed two sets of double doors before stopping at the third set. Opening both door in one swift smooth movement he stepped aside allowing Hermione to enter.

She stepped into pure magnificence. The furnishings were made of the best ebony one could find and the décor gave the illusion of royalty in its deep blues and sprinklings of silver. Lucius stepped in the room after Hermione observing her reaction to the room. She was enthralled, he knew that look from his seventh year.

As her eyes traveled every inch of the room, she noticed the double French doors across the room. Slowly she opened the doors and stepped out onto a balcony that over looked the grounds behind Malfoy Manor. She leaned slightly against the small half wall and looked down, noticing the ivy crawling up the wall of the manor and the outside of this small wall of the balcony. Turning back around to enter back into her room she noticed two more sets of French doors to her left.

"My room is next to yours and Draco is on the other side of mine. I do so hope the proximity of our rooms is not a problem."

Hermione's eyes landed on Lucius' doors and then back to Lucius.

"Something tells me if I could remember anything at all that I would prefer the close proximity."

Lucius looked down his nose at her processing what she just inferred.

"Indeed?"

He stepped back into the room and strode across the room. He paused in the doorway to inform her when dinner would be served. Hermione stood just inside the French doors listening to the fading sound of Lucius' feet on the hardwood floors. She knew he was her professor and a fellow students' father, but what she didn't know was why she felt this strange pull toward him…as if history could never be truly forgotten.

As she stood there thinking…contemplating who she was and where she fit in with these Malfoys, she realized how tired her body felt. She felt so drained…as if sleep were an oddity of her life. She slowly drug herself to the bed. Climbing on top of the covers, she curled up in a ball and slowly the world faded around her.

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The darkness was suffocating her. She felt it closing in cutting off her air. She plunged forward desperate for some indication of light. She found it ahead in the shape of a candle light. It was her salvation. She moved forward. The light grew larger as she approached the image. She stopped. The darkness surrounded her hiding anything and everything, except this one image. She stared in wonder and fascination at an image of herself…an image that seemed composed of memories emerging from the darkness. She stood before a mirror. It was a mirror she knew from her studies…the Mirror of Erised. This image of herself stared into the mirror…and in the mirror was Professor Malfoy. The light changed suddenly and Hermione was staring at the image of herself again studying while a seventeen-year-old Professor Malfoy watched her.

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Lucius sat at the dining room table eating and waiting for his son to retrieve Miss Granger.

"Was it wise of Headmistress McGonagall to send the girl with _you_? What if the Dark Lord discovers your…guest?"

Lucius surveyed his other houseguest.

"Unless _you _plan on informing the Dark Lord of the Mudblood's presence in this manor, I see no problems."

His guest sneered slightly at him.

"I could tell him, Lucius, but at what gain? _I _am not your secret keeper. I would be unable to disclose your location properly."

Lucius nodded his head as if in agreement. They heard the footsteps before Draco walked in followed by Hermione. Lucius observed her as Draco held out a chair for her, just as he was raised to do. She sat on Lucius' right, directly across from his other guest. Hermione took in this strange man across the table from her. His black hair hung in a greasy looking sheet, casting parts of his face in shadow. He appeared to posses a permanent scowl that made him look much older than he truly was.

"Miss Granger, this is a guest we will entertain for the holidays."

Lucius' voice broke her thoughts. Turning her head to Lucius, she listened to his introduction.

"This is Severus Snape."

Lucius watched, waiting for any sign of recognition from the girl. There was none. She simply turned her head to look straight at Severus and blinked.

"You know me," she asked him.

Severus sneered at her and mumbled in response.

"Unfortunately, yes I do."

Hermione looked him up and down and then looked to Lucius and Draco. As she stared down into her plate, they heard her soft sad whispering voice.

"Whatever it is I have done to you I apologize, Mister Snape." Her eyes looked up to Severus who sat there stunned and frozen to his seat. "I must have been just awful to you for you to hold such contempt."

Severus stared at her. What had she truly done in order for him to hate her so? The silence in the dining room was finally broken when Draco picked up his fork and began eating. He knew Severus would not respond.

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They were served tea in the drawing room. Hermione sat before the fireplace, book in lap, staring into the fire wondering what she would normally be doing. She felt so…lost. Lucius sat on the other side of the sofa with a book, reading. Severus paced around the room with a book, obviously searching for something, and stopping occasionally to sip his tea that sat on a side table. Draco quietly worked on his chess game.

Hermione was shaken out of her reverie when Draco stood and bid everyone a goodnight. As he disappeared from the drawing room, Severus continued his pacing research and Hermione turned to Lucius.

"Professor Malfoy?"

Lucius looked up from his book and found Hermione's eyes. Hermione hesitated unsure whether to continue. She swallowed the lump in her throat and continued.

"I believe I may have regained a memory while I slept before dinner, but I don't understand all of it."

"Indeed?"

The sound of Severus' feet pacing on the floor stopped and one could hear the slight scrape noise of the teacup being lifted from its saucer.

"Why would I see you inside the Mirror of Erised?"

The only sound was that of Severus choking on his tea. Lucius slowly turned and looked at Severus in such a way that Severus' only response was to lift on eyebrow and proceed to excuse himself for the evening.

The silence of the room hung around them. Lucius had no idea he was what she saw when she looked into the mirror at the cabin. He knew that if her memory was complete and she was herself, she would never have admitted that to him. A strange sensation washed over Lucius as he just sat there, unsure how to respond.

Accepting the fact that she was not receiving an answer from him, she turned her gaze to the fire.

"There was also something else."

Lucius was unsure if he wanted to know or not, but the need to know kept him in his seat listening.

"I saw a memory of us, but it was different. We were the same age and it just doesn't make sense…"

She heard Lucius' deep inhale.

"Miss Granger, you had a mishap with a time turner and found yourself in my seventh year for just a bit."

Slowly, she turned and looked at Lucius. He noticed it in her eyes…recognition. It wasn't a normal recognition, as if she suddenly knew who he was, but something different…something deeper. He looked away feeling as if she were invading his soul.

"It's me," she whispered.

The fire in the fireplace crackled.

"I said there was someone else you lost…it was me wasn't it?"

She could feel the heat and tension radiating from Lucius. He refused to look at her, looking down his nose at the floor in front of him instead. Hermione grew frustrated at Lucius not bothering to look at her. She wondered briefly, what she would normally do, but decided that did not matter now.

Sliding off the sofa, she knelt down on the floor, in front of Lucius. He looked down his nose at her, surveying her as she tentatively inched forward between his legs. Her eyes looked up into his.

"Miss Granger, you cannot lose what you do not have. I was aware from the moment you landed in my life in my past that you would be returning to your own time. I befriended you knowing you would leave."

Hermione's eyes narrowed as they penetrated his icy grays.

"Befriended," she asked. "The memories I had were of you watching me. Your eyes still had their icy appearance, but a warmth and longing swam in them."

Lucius tried to remind himself of what Madame Pomfrey had warned him about. He was aware she could possibly say some things…things that could make him uncomfortable. She inched closer.

_She is not herself, Lucius..._

Her hands gently rested on his knees.

_She is not herself…_

Head cocked to the side slightly, her eyes traveled to his lips.

_She is not herself, Lucius…She is not herself…._

She inched forward. The feel of her hands gently sliding up his thigh to his waist sent shivers through his body.

_She is most definitely not herself..._

Unconsciously, she gently licked her lips. Her chest heaved.

_Don't_ _let her do it, Lucius...The Mudblood is not herself…_

She leaned up, unsure of herself, like a child on a bicycle for the first time. When her lips touched Lucius', he thought he was going to bust. Never had he experienced something so sensual and yet so innocently naïve at the same time. His pent up emotions about her overwhelmed him…feeling he held deep inside himself, hidden since his own seventh year. He could feel his entire body shake and knew she had to feel it too. Hermione meant for it to just be a quick kiss and that was all, but she underestimated everything Lucius kept hidden for so long. His body seemed to quiver under the touch of her lips. His shaking hands reached out and grabbed her face, keeping her lips on his. His lips moved with more maturity than Hermione's…with more depth of emotion and longing…slowly and sensually.

It was the sound of a whimpering, weak, exhale from Hermione that brought Lucius to reality.

_What the bloody hell are you doing?_

He begrudgingly pulled away.

"I am terribly sorry Miss Granger….I should not have done that."

His voice wavered in a way that filled him with a certain amount of shame…shame at his own weakness. His eyes could not leave hers. They were wide and full of recognition and knowledge. Her cheeks were slightly flushed as she spoke as if he had not said a word, as if Lucius Malfoy had not just apologized to her.

"That's it," she said. "It wasn't me that you lost…it was yourself."


	19. Christmas

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Okay…this chapter is shorter than most of the others…its more of a bridge chapter to prepare what is to come in the next chapter. Hehehehe….and I know what it is. I think this fic will be longer than In the Rain. Please review to let me know you are still with me. Thanks.

**Chapter 19**

_Christmas_

_I took a walk around the world  
To ease my troubled mind  
I left my body laying somewhere  
In the sands of time  
But I watched the world float  
To the dark side of the moon_

I feel there is nothing I can do, yeah

I watched the world float  
To the dark side of the moon  
After all I knew it had to be  
Something to do with you  
I really don't mind what happens now and then  
As long as you'll be my friend at the end

If I go crazy then will you still  
Call me Superman  
If I'm alive and well, will you be  
There a-holding my hand  
I'll keep you by my side  
With my superhuman might  
Kryptonite

You called me strong, you called me weak,  
But still your secrets I will keep  
You took for granted all the times  
I never let you down  
You stumbled in and bumped your head,  
If not for me then you'd be dead  
I picked you up and put you back  
On solid ground

_--3 Doors Down_

Harry sat at the table in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place staring at the pensive he was just in. The memories he explored still swirled in it like a white mist. He shook his head.

"It is a lot to take in Harry," Lupin's soft voice of reason spoke.

Harry looked up at him incredulously.

"A lot to take in?" He stood and began pacing around the room. "I still don't trust him…I never will."

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"It wasn't me that you lost…it was yourself."

Lucius gave nothing away as he looked down his nose at her before finally rising forcing Hermione to sit back on the floor to allow him room to rise. Hermione stood slowly as Lucius began crossing the room to leave. She was unsure of what to call him, so she simply crossed the room swiftly, meeting him at the door. She reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Professor…"

Something snapped the moment she grabbed his wrist. A combination of what had just occurred and the feeling of her hand on him, no matter how insignificant of an area it was, sent him over the edge into a near panic. He was Lucius Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy did not lose control. He swiftly turned on her, so that he now had a hold of her. He bent down to look her in the eyes.

"Miss Granger, you may have recovered some of your memories, but I assure you they are incomplete at best."

Hermione's eyes did not waver from his. She simply looked at him, not with pity or fear, but something Lucius couldn't quite put his finger on.

"That doesn't stop what I do remember," she said in a quiet voice that soon turned into a whisper. "Right now you are the only friend I remember. Please don't take that away…not yet."

Hermione winced as Lucius' grip tightened for a moment. Realizing his increased grip, he let go and stood up straight.

"Good night Miss Granger."

Lucius turned from the room. Lucius was halfway up the stairs at a near run, when he noticed Severus and Draco both standing at the top of the staircase watching his ascension. His eyes caught his son's as he reached the landing. Fear filled Draco to the brim, threatening to burst out.

"Clear your mind Draco. I cannot help you if you are too much of an open book for the Dark Lord."

Like a light switch, Draco's emotions became allusive and his thoughts hard to read. Lucius smiled slightly and nodded in approval. The three stood on the landing where they could see over the balustrade. The firelight from the fireplace set the drawing room aglow and cast the light out the doorway into the foyer. Hermione was moving around in there. As the sight of her shadow pass before the door, Lucius looked at each of his companions standing in the dark with him.

"Let's not keep the Dark Lord waiting."

In a swirl of black smoke, they were gone.

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Hermione was sitting in the drawing room staring into the fire when it hit her. It crept up on her like a predator lying in wait until its ready to spring out on you. It snuck up on her, stealing her breath.

She was alone in the manor.

Feeling the sudden coldness of the manor, she stood and began slowly walking toward her room hoping she would run into someone along the way. She stopped outside Lucius' door. Slowly, she leaned her ear against the hard wooden double doors hoping to Merlin that she would hear some sign of life within. She heard nothing and felt her breath hitch slightly in her throat. Gently she tapped on the door and called for him. When there was no answer, she silently pushed the door open. Her eyes traveled around the magnificent room. Her room was its equal in magnificence. It was empty and held no indication of a recent occupant. Feeling her heart pounding faster and harder she slowly backed out of the deathly silent room.

As she entered her own room, the emptiness of the manor began to close in on her. Shutting the door behind her, she leaned back on the door and slowly slid down toward the floor. With her legs pulled up to her chest she wrapped her arms around them and looked around feeling the panic. Her eyes darted frantically around the darkened room. In the past few days, since losing her memory, she felt as if she were stranded in the middle of the sea…drowning in broken memories, but somehow she found a lifejacket…and now…now that life jacket was gone.

She was alone.

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The three Death Eaters landed in a swirl of black smoke and robes. As soon as the Dark Lord was in sight, they dropped to their knees to show their respect. Lucius immediately noticed they were the only ones in attendance at this meeting. It worried him slightly. Why just them three?

"You may stand."

The three of them rose immediately to their feet.

"I am sure you must be wondering why I brought you here," hissed Voldemort.

"Yes, my lord," said Lucius. "Why have you granted us this privilege this evening?"

Voldemort stopped his pacing around and faced Lucius with a sickly smile.

"Don't worry Lucius; your loyalty is not in question…though it should be considering your connections to two of my Death Eaters whose loyalty is most often questioned." Voldemort's eyes shifted from Severus to Draco, before looking back at Lucius. "No something else, my slippery friend…there is something else."

The three Death Eaters waited as Voldemort resumed his pacing before stopping again.

"I received troubling news today. You Lucius have now had the Fidelius Charm placed on your manor keeping all out with a few exceptions." He nodded toward Severus.

Lucius knew he was expected to answer to that and had planned on its occurrence.

"I had no choice, my lord. With that fool Dumbledore gone, I had to secure my place in the Order with McGonagall. If I did not agree to it my loyalty would have been questioned."

Lucius waited for some sort of response. Voldemort stared into Lucius eyes and he could feel him searching for the truth…or some inkling that he was lying. Lucius was not a top ranking Death Eater for nothing.

"Now, Lucius," Voldemort spoke softly. "Tell me. Why is that Mudblood friend of Potter's staying at the manor with you?"

Lucius felt the panic swell in him, but he immediately quelled it as he looked into the Dark Lord's eyes.

"McGonagall sent her to stay with me. The Mudblood had a magical accident that erased her memory. McGonagall felt she was safe with me."

Lucius smiled at the Dark Lord in such a sickly evil way that Voldemort truly did not question Lucius' loyalty. Voldemort returned the smile.

"And I hear you are opening up the manor for the Christmas ball—no Death Eaters besides you three are in attendance."

Lucius nodded his head in agreement.

"Perfect," Voldemort hissed. "Who is your secret keeper Lucius and I must warn you not to lie. You are aware I will know if you do."

"The werewolf, my lord."

Voldemort's smile grew wider.

"Ah…another one of our own. Very good, Lucius. You will have him tell Jacoby the manor's whereabouts. Jacoby will attend this…ball. That is all you may leave."

Voldemort swatted his hand toward them as if signing for them to go. No one moved yet. The three Death Eaters exchanged looks of curiosity.

"Please, my lord," Lucius spoke up. "What is Jacoby's purpose in attending the ball?"

Voldemort swooped down toward them and straight into Lucius' face where he spoke in that sickeningly quiet voice.

"I want Potter's Mudblood."

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Lucius stood on the corner of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley, package in hand. The shop owner, an old family friend, was waiting for Lucius' arrival late that night to pick it up. Tucking the package into his robe pocket, he felt the mirror and pulled it out.

There she was…alone in his manor.

She lay in the darkness of her room, asleep on the floor. He could see the redness around her eyes and wondered what had her so vexed and then cursed himself for asking. She was lost…no idea who she was and they all left her alone in that manor.

"You have it?"

Lucius turned to notice his son and Severus approaching from the darkened alley. Lucius placed the mirror in his pocket and nodded curtly. After a few minutes of walking, they stepped into the Leaky Cauldron and flooed back to the manor.

Once at the manor, Severus and Draco both headed for bed to try to get what sleep they could for the night. Lucius took the package from his robes, walking over to the magnificent Christmas tree, and placed the small package under it.

The image of her sleeping form on the floor flashed in his mind. He walked right passed his bedroom door and stopped outside Hermione's. In the mirror, she wasn't too far away from the door and he didn't really want to hurt her. Very slowly, he opened the door as far as he could and squeezed through the opening he had.

She lay on the floor in a pool of moonlight. Fear gripped his heart, though he would never admit it. Voldemort wanted her and he wanted her for one reason only. When faced with an enemy, take out the leader and the whole is incapacitated. Hermione was not the "leader" per say, but she was the brains behind it all. In Voldemort's view, making Hermione inaccessible to the others was the equivalent of severing the head.

Lucius gently lifted her up from the floor, carrying her to her bed. For a moment he just stood by her bed. Many years had passed since he last saw this vision of her…so many years. He had no idea when he met the Mudblood right before her second year that she would grow up and not only look exactly as his Hermione had, but actually be his Hermione. It was like fate's cruel joke on him. He turned to leave, but felt her hand grab a hold of his.

"Please, stay. The dreams are just awful."

He looked back and down his nose at her. She had no idea how strange this scene looked, none. There she was reaching out to this man…this man who stood there wearing Death Eater robes and held his mask in one hand. He said nothing. Turning, he placed his mask on the nightstand and draped his robe on a chair. He sat up on the bed, leaning against the headboard wondering when he would appear in her nightmares.

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Christmas morning found the entire manor a flutter of activity. With the ball no longer being days away, but hours away, every house elf was at work. Even more holiday decorations were appearing in nearly every room. Hermione smiled to herself as she entered the drawing room followed by Draco. Severus and Lucius were already sitting in the room enjoying a morning tea.

They watched her curiously, as she sat under the tree and pulled out a gift, handing it to Severus. She knew what the looks were for. No one had taken her shopping. She explained to them that she wrote to the Headmistress inquiring into her financial situation and gift shopping. The Headmistress was able to find her financial information from Mrs. Weasley and Ginny sent her catalogues for shopping by owl.

Severus stared down at the gift in his lap as if it would possibly bite. Slowly and meticulously, he unwrapped the package. Lifting the top on the box, he looked down at a set of black robes. He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"They are charmed to be fireproof," Hermione explained. "I had a strange dream that your robes were on fire and well…I just thought it would be a good idea."

Silence echoed in the drawing room…until Draco's laughter replaced the silence.

"What is so funny, Draco," Lucius asked his son.

Draco stopped laughing the best he could and pointed at Hermione.

"She set Severus' robes on fire in our first year."

Hermione's smile fell. She did what?

"On accident," Lucius asked, wondering what kind of potion they were doing.

"No," Severus replied with the look of someone who just swallowed something rather unpleasant tasting. "She thought I was trying to kill Potter so she set my robes on fire."

Draco's laughter died down. Severus was the only one who did not seem so amused by the story. The gift exchange continued. Draco gave her a nice leather bound personal book entitle _The Malfoy Chronicles_. This gift was followed by an odd silence from Lucius and an uncomfortable shuffle from Draco. Then Lucius gave Hermione his gift. She unwrapped the burgundy package and took out what it contained.

"A friend of mine was able to acquire that object for me. I know muggles use them instead of the Point me spell so I thought you might appreciate its purpose."

Hermione looked down at the compass she held feeling something akin to the usual connection she felt with Lucius. The compass was gold and engraved on the one side. Her fingers slid over the engraving…a lion with the words "finding your way home." She chuckled slightly.

"You find the gift amusing," Lucius asked.

"No, I don't."

She handed him her gift for him. He unwrapped it to find a compass also. His was silver engraved with a serpent and the words "to help you find your true north." Lucius smiled slightly understanding why she laughed. How strange it was that even now they seemed to have similar thoughts. Turning the compass back over he noticed it did not just have the normal north, south, east, and west labels. There was one labeled "true north."

The rest of the morning's activities passed quickly. Before long, it was time for everyone to begin the process of preparing themselves for the ball.

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Hermione stood in her room wearing a satiny robe staring at the ball gown she found waiting in her room for her. Touching the fabric, she wondered if this were something she would have chosen for herself. A very precise knocking on her door drew her from her thoughts. Lucius walked in.

"Madame Malkin still had your size on file where you bought new robes this year. She helped with choosing the dress. I do hope you approve?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it's beautiful. I just wish I knew if this were something I would choose. I don't know who I am and it's maddening."

Lucius stepped farther into the room. The way she looked at him was so familiar. He knew that look and in that moment, he realized something. So far, her memories were of her time with him in the past. Right now, based on the few memories she had, she was looking at her best friend. He maintained his cold aristocratic stance as he looked down his nose at her.

"It will come back to you, Miss Granger, just give it time."

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Hermione slowly walked down the curving staircase watching Lucius, Draco, and Severus all watching her. The dress was an icy blue strapless piece that slightly drug the floor behind her as she walked. Her hair was up exposing her neck where a beautiful diamond choker sat. Lucius watched her, his face giving nothing away. She was stunning.

As the first wave of guests arrived, Lucius stood in the foyer with his houseguests and son, greeting the partygoers. He watched her with each guest that entered. Those who knew her greeted her with such warmth, yet her eyes were empty of recognition. Even with Remus, there was no sign of recognition.

"Lucius," Remus greeted him with a nod of his head.

"Remus," Lucius greeted in return. "I trust you gave the information to our little _friend._"

Remus smiled.

"Yes, Jacoby will be here."

And he was. A few moments later, Jacoby walked in. He greeted Hermione warmly and kissed her hand with that sickly smile of any Death Eater with malicious intentions. Lucius felt the urge to curse him right then. He watched Jacoby disappear into the crowd of people before relieving his son and the others from greeting duty. Severus and Draco disappeared into the crowd taking the same path Jacoby did. Hermione remained by Lucius' side.


	20. True North

Disclaimer: Not mine as you know.

A/N: please oh please review. Oh yes, one thing with this chapter: I know in the books that Severus did not place himself between the children and Lupin as the werewolf, but for the sake of my fanfic I am taking that little scene from the movie instead. Hope no one objects. Please let me know what you think.

**Chapter 20**

_True North_

_And I need you now tonight  
And I need you more than ever  
And if you only hold me tight  
We'll be holding on forever  
And we'll only be making it right  
'Cause we'll never be wrong  
Together we can take it to the end of the line  
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time  
(All of the time)  
I don't know what to do  
I'm always in the dark  
Living in a powder keg and giving off sparks  
I really need you tonight  
Forever's gonna start tonight  
(Forever's gonna start tonight)_

Once upon a time I was  
I was falling in love  
But now I'm only falling apart  
There's nothing I can do  
A total eclipse of the heart

Once upon a time there was light in my life  
But now there's only love in the dark  
Nothing I can say  
A total eclipse of the heart

_--Bonnie Tyler_

The ballroom was full of people Hermione did not recognize. She remained at Lucius' side without talking or drawing attention to herself. Lucius wondered if she were trying to hide in his shadow. Standing off to the side, Lucius watched the partygoers dancing. The spirit of the holiday season had set everyone in such a mood that laughter and merry talking could be heard throughout the ballroom. It was as it was when Lucius was young. His eyes shifted next to him to Hermione. He remembered wanting to bring her home with him to experience this festive ball with him in his seventh year.

Hermione watched from the shadows of Lucius as a girl who appeared to be about her age walked across the ballroom toward them. Her deep emerald gown set off her pale skin and sleek black hair. She wore the most unpleasant look on her face as she approached. With a slightly softened face, she bowed respectfully to Lucius in greeting.

"Mister Malfoy."

He nodded his head.

"Miss Parkinson."

She turned a scowl toward Hermione.

"Granger," she spat.

Hermione's eyes widened. How is it that so many people seemed to hate her? What kind of person was she? The girl eyed Hermione up and down.

"You really have lost your memory?"

Hermione nodded mutely. A small smile broke out on the girl's face. Her features softened as she held out her hand.

"Well then, my name is Pansy Parkinson." Hermione shook her hand, which Pansy kept a hold of and began leading her away. "You must come with me and meet the others. Standing here with him," she nodded her head toward Lucius, "will surely bore you to death."

Lucius watched Pansy lead Hermione across the ballroom where some of the Hogwarts students were gathered. She looked back at him halfway across the room. Her eyes swam in his own as if pleading for security, for help, for her memories. Pansy led Hermione to the small group and noticed Draco among them. He smiled in greeting at her and from the look of those surrounding them, she got the feeling this was something out of the ordinary.

A few minutes later Hermione noticed two familiar faces. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. They approached her with a strained smile and a disconcerting eye toward Draco.

"Well if it isn't Potty and the Weasel."

"Stuff it Malfoy," Ron said turning red in the face already.

"Not now Malfoy," Harry said. "We came over to see Hermione."

Draco's eyes shifted between the trio's members.

"Well, you are out of luck then, mate. She owes me a dance."

Grabbing her hand, Draco led her to the dance floor where he pulled her toward him as close as he could while smirking at Harry and Ron. Hermione waited a couple seconds before pulling away to put a bit of space between her and Draco. She surveyed him for a moment and then glanced over at Harry and Ron.

"We were never friends were we?"

Draco wasn't expecting that question, but being raised as he was by Lucius he gave nothing away.

"No."

Hermione felt the urge to recoil from his touch, but didn't.

"Why," she asked wondering if she really wanted to know.

"You were friends with _them_," he sneered in response.

She sighed in exasperation.

"Why do you hate them so?"

His eyes narrowed as they pierced her own.

"I offered my hand in friendship to Saint Potter the first day of school and he refused it. I wouldn't have been forced to take this mark if not for him." He rolled his sleeve up, shoving the Dark Mark under her nose. He saw fear flicker in her eyes. Her memories had not yet brought up Voldemort, but the academic knowledge she contained could recall the facts of whose mark that was and what its implications were. Shoving his sleeve down, he continued his dance with her.

Hermione remained silent for a moment as if absorbing what Draco had just shown her and wondering who else carried such a mark.

"Did Harry make you get the Dark Mark," she asked.

"No."

"Did he hold his wand on you and threaten you in any way if you did not take it?"

"No," he snapped at her. "What is your point?"

"Draco, how can you blame Harry? You made the choice to receive that mark. You have no one to blame for that but yourself."

She turned away from him and left the dance floor. Draco followed scowling along behind her. Hermione's eyes wondered the ballroom as the boys tried to carry on a relatively civil conversation. Her mind wandered from person to person wondering if they too possessed the same mark as Draco. Her eyes fell on Lucius and his figure doing nothing more than mingling with people, but never dancing.

"Draco, does your father ever dance?"

All talking within their small group stopped. Draco shook his head.

"Rarely."

They all watched Hermione in awe…Pansy with a delightful glint in her eye. Hermione stood up from the chair she was sitting in. Determination shone in her eyes like beacons of light. She marched across the ballroom like a woman with a purpose. From across the room, the group watched.

Lucius saw her coming and stopped walking. With an eyebrow raised in curiosity, he looked down his nose, watching her approach. She stopped in front of him and looked up into his eyes. Uncertainty swam in hers. He watched her waiting for her to say something. She remained quiet. Instead, she reached her hand out into his. Lucius felt her small hand slide itself into his larger ones. He ignored the strange chill that overcame him, suppressing the urge to shudder. She led him to the dance floor.

With his usual stiff stance, Lucius danced with Hermione. When his arms encircled her everything around her seemed to fade and for a moment, she saw herself dancing with a mysterious masked man…a man that was Lucius. He twirled her around and when he brought her back, they were the same age. He dipped her back, his eyes caressing the skin of her neck. He pulled her up and he was the masked man again. The memories rushed to her and through her like a torrent river thrashing against rocks and stone. He twirled her out and the song and dance ended as he pulled her back against him…eyes locked.

Lucius felt her breath coming to her in quick succession. Her eyes were wide and full of recognition.

"You," she whispered. "It was you. All these years later…you came to the masquerade and danced with me."

Lucius nodded his head politely.

"Miss Granger, enjoy the rest of your evening."

He turned and left her standing in the middle of the dance floor. Gathering herself, Hermione walked back over to where Draco and the others were watching in awe.

Lucius remained on the other side of the ballroom after the dance. Despite who he stood talking to, his eyes would wander beyond his companion to Hermione. It was as if he could hear the slightest bit of laughter come from her from clear across the room. His attentions would travel to those around her in search for the source. Despite outside appearances, Lucius grew nervous when he noticed Jacoby had joined the little group Hermione was in.

Lucius continued his turn around the ballroom, mingling with group after group. The conversations were all the same: politics, Dumbledore's death, Voldemort's rise…Hermione destroying a horcrux at the cost of her own memory.

"Its no wonder the girl was placed in Gryffindor," the ministry official was saying. "Quite the brave young woman…"

As the official continued to ramble on about everything he had heard about the young Gryffindor, Lucius' eyes wandered to the girl in question. His jaw clenched when he noticed Severus Snape standing before her holding out his hand and bowing slightly. The sneer on Lucius' face rose unexpectedly as Hermione smiled and accepted Severus' obvious invitation.

Hermione found the silence surrounding her when Severus asked her to dance rather disturbing. It wasn't the silence that she left when asking Lucius to dance. This was different. Harry's face looked ready to burst into flames. The silence was not filled with a feeling of shock so much as a feeling of utter fear. That is when she knew…when it hit her like a ton of bricks. Severus Snape was the feared Potions Master.

As Severus took her hand and led her to the dance floor, her mind came clouded with different memories.

_Professor Snape's rather dramatic entrance into the dungeon classroom with robes billowing out behind him…_

"…_Fifty points from Gryffindor…" _

…_his robes on fire…_

"…_Insufferable know it all…"_

…_Professor Snape placing himself between a werewolf and Hermione and the boys…_

…_Professor Snape holding her back from possibly running to her death…_

Severus turned to face her on the dance floor. Hermione's head cocked to the side a bit looking at him as if for the first time.

"You never really hated me," she said.

Severus moved her smoothly across the floor looking at her with a rather bored look upon his face. He was not going to respond to that. Hermione reached up into his ear and whispered.

"If you truly hated me you would never have placed yourself between me and the werewolf…you would never have risked your own life."

Standing normal again, they continued their dance. Severus leaned down slowly. His hair fell forward brushing her cheek gently as he whispered with his deep voice into her ear.

"Are you sure about that? I found it much more pleasurable to torment you in the classroom…questioning your intelligence, your abilities, and every Gryffindor quality you held dear."

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Lucius held his crystal goblet in his hand so tightly that his fingers had turned white. When Hermione leaned up whispering into Severus' ear he did not feel threatened in anyway…Severus would shun such contact from her. But he didn't. When he saw Severus leaned down to whisper into her ear in return, when he saw Severus' hair caressing Hermione's cheek, Lucius was ready to hex him into oblivion.

Slamming his goblet on a side table, Lucius stormed from the room.

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Hermione was not sure, but it looked as if a smile was playing at the corner of Severus' mouth. Their dance continued. Questions were turning in Hermione's head…questions she figured Severus of all people would have an answer to. In every interaction with Lucius, he always looked down his nose at her. She had to know.

"Why does Professor Malfoy never look me straight in the eye? He is always looking down his nose at me as if I am beneath him."

The dance stopped and Severus stood there debating whether to tell her. A sneer appeared on his face.

"That is because you are."

"Pardon," Hermione asked.

"You _are_ beneath him. He is a pureblooded wizard where as you are a witch born of muggles…a Mudblood as they say. He will never look at you in such a way. You are and always will be an inferior in his eyes." He leaned in closer and whispered. "_Always_."

Severus walked off leaving Hermione in the middle of the dance floor. More memories invaded her. She heard Draco's voice in her mind…calling her a Mudblood over and over. Her heart began to pound furiously in her chest. His face looking at her in disgust filled her mind. Then it came to her. Did Lucius ever look at her like that too? Was Severus right? Her memories were of a younger Lucius Malfoy, yes, but a kind Lucius…a Lucius that was her best friend.

Looking around her, she quickly left the dance floor and headed out the doors toward the gardens. She rushed through the gardens until she found herself on a path lighted by the moon. She paused when she noticed the darkness up ahead. Either the path would continue or it would veer off to another path. She stood there debating continuing or turning back. It was just so dark ahead. She felt her heart began to pound in anxiety of what possibly lay ahead. Taking in a deep relaxing breath, she took her first step toward that unknown.

Out of the darkness, like some apparition, walked Lucius Malfoy. She stopped for a moment when she noticed him. The conversation with Severus returned. Her memories of "Mudblood" returned. Lucius walked toward her stopping about a foot in front of her.

"Miss Granger," he greeted her looking down his nose as usual.

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The gardens looked like a winter wonderland. The ground, hedges, and dormant shrubs were covered in a pristine white snow. Ice sculptures sat at various intervals reflecting the moonlight. Lucius walked the paths of the gardens deep in thought. He continued mumbling "Mudblood" to himself to remind him of what exactly that young woman dancing with Severus at the moment was.

He tried to prevent her trek into the past, to stop the memories, to erase the past. His very effort to stop her is what sent her back. The irony was not totally lost on Lucius; he just found absolutely no humor in it. Her memory was clouded right now. Her memory of him seemed to cover only the past and moments in this time period, but nothing of what their relationship really was, nothing of how much hate flowed between them…how much he hated every kind like her for their mere existence. It was only a matter of time.

Reaching into his robe pocket, he pulled out the compass. The silver shone in the moonlight. He glanced over the inscription again and wondered how long before she regretted giving him such a gift. It didn't matter how long it would be because it was bound to happen eventually. Perhaps he should tell her the truth instead of allowing her to continue under the belief that they are friends. He needed to set her straight and push her as far away as possible. She was everything he hated…despised even. She was now his student and nothing more…a classmate of his son's…a Mudblood.

His thoughts settled onto what he had to do when he came across a fork in the path. He stood there with his compass in hand. He had a choice to make. He had to choose a path. There was no middle ground…a large stone wall stood in the center, cutting off the chance of another path. He had to choose. He eyed each path. The left was shaded from any moonlight. Trees behind the stone wall hung over the edge casting the path in pure darkness. He knew what was down that path as he had traveled it many times. To the right the moon shone down upon the path casting it in a sublime illuminated shadow of light. It was still dark down that path, it was night after all, but the darkness was not complete…it held light within its walls. He knew not what was down that path having never fully traveled it. That path held the unknown.

With his compass in hand he shifted slightly to do nothing more than face the lighted path. His eyes remained on the compass. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked at the charmed compass. The needle pointed toward the words Hermione had charmed to always be in the appropriate place…true north. Slowly, his eyes looked up to the path…where true north lied. Hermione Granger stood on the path. Looking back toward that dark path behind him, Lucius began walking down the lighted path toward Hermione, stopping about a foot from her. The image of Severus whispering in her ear crossed his mind again.

"Miss Granger," he greeted, looking down his nose at her with a sneer.

It was that look. The same look Severus said Lucius gave her because she was beneath him…inferior. She couldn't take it. This view of Lucius did not match the Lucius she could remember. Perhaps there were still parts of her memory involving him not yet there? She rushed forward unable to take it any longer.

Lucius saw her rush forward. The moonlight illuminating her, giving her the appearance of an angel out for vengeance. He felt her fingertips gently caress his face as she grabbed his face and pulled him, forcing him to look at her. He was no longer looking down on her. Her eyes scanned his own frantically as if searching for something.

"Why do you look down on me like that? Is what Severus said true?"

Slowly, he removed her hands from his face and stood straight looking down his nose at her.

"I do not know what Severus said in order to respond to that."

Her chest heaved in anxiety as her breath quickened.

"Stop looking down on me like that. He said you do it because I am beneath you."

Lucius didn't miss the inflection in her voice…the one that screamed out denial and hurt. It was his ticket to show her who he really was. Perhaps it would trigger some memory. He took a step closer and looked down his nose at her. Her eyes remained steady, looking up at him with defiance in her look and stance. Taking a finger, he gently drew it down her jaw line, her neck, her collarbone, her shoulder as he spoke very softly.

"Yes, well…the inferiority of your birth cannot be denied." He leaned down moving toward her ear. She could feel his breath caress her cheek as he barely touched her on the way. "A shame really," he whispered. "So dirty and yet so…"

He didn't get to finish what he was going to say. Hermione…the old Hermione kicking in, shoved him away and slapped him as hard as she could. Lucius' face jerked to the side. As he placed his hand on his reddening cheek, he caught a glimpse of Hermione running off onto the darkened path.

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She ran through the darkness. Her world was a myriad of images…incomplete and incomprehensible. She ran until she saw the lights of the manor. The voices and laughter wafting from the manor had died down. Most of the guests had left. She ran, trying desperately to reach the door and put as much distance between herself and Lucius as possible.

As soon as she reached one of the smaller back doors, she rushed through it only to find herself pushed against the wall behind the stairs. It was dark. No light shone behind the grand staircase. Her captor held her there, against the wall, unable to move. She recognized him. She met him earlier. Jackson Jacoby. Where as moments ago her heart pounded from being upset with Lucius, now it pounded in anxiety about why the young man was assaulting her and what she was going to do.

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Lucius, cursing himself, ran after her. What he was going to do once he caught up to her he did not know. All he knew was something deep inside screamed for him to go after her…to chase her to the ends of the earth if necessary.

He heard her scream.

Slowly and as quietly as any Slytherin, Lucius entered the manor. He could see her in the dark…frightened…pinned against the wall…eyes wide in terror. She couldn't get to her wand. Jacoby had her hands pinned to the wall in one of his large hands. Jacoby had taken out his wand and was caressing various parts of her exposed skin with it…parts that Lucius had laid his fingers on…parts Lucius had touched and longed to touch again despite his own protestations. Anger flared in Lucius with a dash of possessive pride. Stepping forward ever so quietly, he pulled out his wand.

Hermione heard his voice…detestation and fury lacing his unnaturally calm voice.

"Let. Her. Go. Jacoby." His eyes shifted over Jacoby's shoulder to look at Hermione. He saw fear overlapping relief and she saw a fire burning in his normally icy eyes. "Miss Granger, leave us. I have much to discuss with Mister Jackson Jacoby."

Feeling Lucius' wand tip on his temple, Jacoby said nothing as he let go of Hermione. She ran as fast as she could up the stairs. Lucius' eyes, though aware of Hermione's whereabouts, did not leave Jacoby. Once Hermione was out of sight, Jacoby spoke.

"What are you doing Malfoy?" Jacoby turned around, looking Lucius up and down. The laugh that escaped Jacoby grated on Lucius' last and final nerve. Reaching his hand out, he grabbed Jacoby by the throat, throwing him against the wall. Jacoby struggled to talk. "Malfoy, let go…no…" A sickly smile formed on Jacoby's mouth despite his lack of oxygen.

"You can't save her Malfoy." Lucius let go and he fell to the ground. Standing up, he looked at Lucius looking for a reaction, but got none. He didn't need it though. He saw them dancing…he noticed the little subtleties in their behavior toward one another. "If I don't do it the Dark Lord will simply send someone else. Your little Mudblood will serve her purpose to the Dark Lord and then she will be disposed of. You know this."

Lucius kept his eyes and wand on Jacoby. Anger building up even farther, about to boil over.

"The Dark Lord will have your head for this. He will acquire her one way or another."

Lucius smirked.

"No, he won't Jacoby."

In a flash of green, Jacoby lay on the floor as still as death.

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Lucius rushed up the stairs of the manor in search of Hermione. In her room, Hermione sat on the end of her bed. The adrenalin and fear was rushing from her body. Why was this young man trying to assault and kidnap her? She couldn't understand it. What kind of person was she? Lucius had saved her though. And as she thought of this, her bedroom door burst open.

She looked up in surprise as Lucius rushed across the room kneeling down in front of her. His hands reached up into her hair making her look at him as he looked her over in the closest thing to a panic a Malfoy would show.

"Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?"

With his position, Hermione was forced to look down into his eyes. She lifted up her wrists. Taking her wrists in his hands he observed the bruising forming in the shape of Jacoby's fingers. Standing up, he walked swiftly to Hermione's bathroom coming out with a jar of a pink lotion looking substance. Gently he rubbed the lotion on each wrist and watched the bruises slowly fade from their purplish black color. She looked at her now healed wrists and down at Lucius.

"It's because I am 'dirty' as you put it isn't it?"

His hands reached up for her once again. One hand snaking up her neck into her hair. The other gripping her waist. Leaning up and toward her, she began to lean back in an effort to back away from him. As soon as her back and head fell against the bed, she saw Lucius above her closing in. His mind screamed out to him that this was exactly what he was trying to avoid in the garden…to stop now. Merely an inch from her lips, Lucius took a deep breath closing his eyes. His voice barely controlled; he spoke softly, his words broken.

"Goodnight Miss Granger."


	21. Blood and Trust

Disclaimer: not mine.

A/N: okay….please review. This chapter has a little something for those Severus/Hermione fans too! Don't worry though…this is a LM/HG fanfic. Enjoy and please let me know what you think.

**Chapter 21**

_Blood and Trust_

_And I'll cry for you  
Yes, I'll die for you   
Pain in my heart it is real  
And I'll tell you now how I feel inside  
Feel in my heart it's for you  
And I'll take everything   
As it comes my way  
Pushin' your pain 'round my door  
Will I cry for you as I die for you  
Is this blood on my hands all for you?_

_--Candlebox_

The darkness devoured her. She was surrounded by hate and fear. It all seemed to come back to her in these flashes of despair. It came crashing into her, awakening yet more parts with each memory touched. An image stood out above all others…an image that said hate…an image that stood on the side of evil and toyed with those around him. It was the same image she saw in the Department of Mysteries. His white blond hair falling down his back, his eyes glinting with malice…Lucius Malfoy was the enemy.

She sat up in bed, breathing heavy, panic taking control. She looked around the darkened room. She was in the house of the enemy. The enemy…Harry and Ron were her best friends…she seemed to remember who everyone was. How could they let her sit in this house? Were they not trying to rescue her? Hermione looked around her room. It looked lived-in, as if she were settled into this room. Noticing her wand on her night table, she picked in up and headed into the next room—Lucius' room.

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He wasn't alone. He could feel it. Someone was in the room with him. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw her. Standing at the end of his bed, in her now wrinkled ball gown, holding her wand on him was Hermione Granger. Her eyes were full of a new recognition and…hatred. With each quick deep breath she took, he could see the fear in her eyes. Yes, she remembered what an evil arse he was, but obviously, the events with the cabin had not come to her yet. Sitting up slowly, Lucius eyed her warily.

"Miss Granger to what do I owe this late night visit?"

Her forehead scrunched and her head cocked to the side in indignation. Her memories were confusing and made no sense to her. She had memories of her trip in time…what happened in that time anyway and she had memories of all the things the adult Lucius had done to them in the name of Voldemort. The confusing part was she could remember everything from the time she woke up in the hospital wing at Hogwarts and the events following were confusing when compared to the two separate Lucius' she seemed to remember. At what point did he become her protector?

Hermione's hesitation as she thought and tried to piece it all together was just what was needed.

"Expelliramus!"

Her wand flew through the air and as Draco caught it, Severus took hold of her arms from behind. She tried to jerk her arms out of his grasp, but to no avail. As Lucius climbed out of bed, her eyes fell upon the Dark Mark burning in his skin. He walked up to Hermione and stood tall only inches from her. Severus noticed the Dark Mark on Lucius' arm burning as well.

"Go to him Lucius. I'll keep on eye on the insufferable girl."

She tried to jerk away again, but Severus' jerky tightened grip stopped her movement. Lucius stared into the fire dancing in her eyes. Unconsciously, he licked his lips. He could see her clearly in his mind, underneath him only hours ago. Now, here she was, being held "captive" by Severus. The Death Eater in him told him to take what he wanted. His mark burned and he looked up at Severus.

"Keep an eye on her."

With a flick of his wand, Lucius was dressed in his Death Eater robes and mask. Severus felt Hermione cringe up against his chest at the sight. In seconds, Lucius was gone.

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With his mind clear of all things…all things that could cause trouble, Lucius stood before the Dark Lord.

"Bellatrix found Jacoby's body just outside these gates, Lucius."

Lucius remained silent, aware that this was not a question. The seconds of silence ticked by in what seemed like minutes.

"How did he fail Lucius?"

"My lord, there were many Order members present and they are all very protective of the girl."

Silence.

"But my dear Lucius, you were there. It was your party…your house. You are capable of such a simple task as ensuring a fellow Death Eater's success?"

"Yes, my lord."

"That is what I thought…"

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Hermione sat in the drawing room, curled up in a chair with a book. She was unable to sleep trying desperately to connect the dots of her memories. The manor was eerily silent. She was unable to leave the manor, Severus had seen to that before going back to bed. As soon as everyone was back to bed, Hermione flooed Harry. He would want to know where Dumbledore's murderer was.

Harry appeared in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place looking ruffled and sleepy. After profusely apologizing for waking him, she informed him of Severus' whereabouts. He was silent for a moment before responding.

"Hermione do you remember a memory we were suppose to look at together before your accident?"

She shook her head no. Harry took a deep breath preparing an explanation.

"Well, I had to go it alone. It was a memory that Professor McGonagall had obtained from Snape. Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him, made him promise even."

Hermione looked around rather frantic.

"Why would Dumbledore do that Harry?"

Harry was quiet for a moment.

"Several reasons. To save us…me, you, Draco, Snape…all of us and to secure Snape's position with Voldemort."

Now, thirty minutes later, Hermione sat there reading and trying to piece it all together, but there were still pieces missing. With her eyes scanning the book she held, her mind settled into trying to find clues to the missing pieces. The remainder of the night passed into a dawning light with no sign of Lucius. When Draco and Severus awoke and found Hermione still in the drawing room with no sign of Lucius worry set in and word was sent out immediately. Hermione could understand the Order's interest in Lucius' disappearance—Voldemort was up to something if his rumored right hand man was missing.

Hermione peered around the corner of the drawing room as members of the Order poured into Malfoy Manor. The question hung in the air…all wanting an answer…where was Lucius Malfoy?

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Hermione was packed…all but her schoolbooks. Each night pieces of her missing memory filled in completing the picture that was Lucius Malfoy in her mind. It was still confusing, but only as he had been previously. No matter, it felt good to remember. Her books were left in the library where she and Draco were working on their DADA project.

The manor bounced from an eerie quiet to full of noise from Order members in his search. She noticed Draco when she stepped into the library. He stood at a window looking out over the gardens. The day was dreary and dark. Draco saw her reflection in the window and heard her gathering her things.

"He should have let them take you."

Hermione looked up. Draco turned around to look at her with the hatred he normally held for her.

"Draco, that is not necessary." Remus had stepped in hearing Draco's words.

Draco's eyes turned to Remus and then back to Hermione.

"Yes it is. Jacoby's job was to bring Hermione to the Dark Lord. Father chose to kill him to prevent it happening."

Remus sighed and stepped farther into the room.

"Yes, Draco. He made that choice."

Draco's eyes narrowed between the two again.

"Yes, well…this is a war. Sacrifices are to be made," Draco stated looking Hermione up and down. "_You _are not exempt from those sacrifices."

Hermione stood there with her books over her shoulder frozen to the spot. Lucius was missing because he saved her? The thought of Lucius Malfoy saving her echoed in her mind. He had indeed, but at what price.

"Go on Hermione," Remus said. "I need to have a word with Draco."

Nodding her head mutely, Hermione left them in the library. As she headed down the hallway toward her room, she saw Harry walk out of the room he was staying in for the night. She stopped, smiling at him, glad to have a friend near.

"The Order has gone barking mad over this Malfoy thing."

Hermione shrugged her shoulders to indicate she didn't understand it either. Harry took another step toward her with his hands in his pocket.

"You know, Hermione I thought it was crazy for McGonagall to send you with him to begin with. Professor or not he is a Death Eater."

Hermione nodded her head in agreement, but something nagged and pulled at her. There was a piece of the puzzle she still didn't have. A piece she didn't have to begin with.

"You don't find it odd that the Order is so insistent on finding him, Harry? Like there is something they are not telling us."

Harry shrugged.

"That wouldn't be anything new."

With his hands in his pocket and his eyes cast down to his feet, Harry followed Hermione to her room.

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With her memory back and members of the Order strategically placed within the train, Hermione and Draco were allowed to ride the Hogwarts Express back to school. Draco bid them a rather unfriendly farewell as he entered the train in search of his fellow Slytherins.

"You'd think Malfoy would at least try to be nicer," Ron grumbled as he made his way into a compartment.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Give him time, Ron. People don't change over night you know."

Ron said nothing as he threw himself into a seat by the window. Ron waited until Harry, Hermione, and Ginny were seated before he continued.

"I personally don't know why everyone is looking for Lucius Malfoy…he was called by you-know-who. It's not like his loyalties are a secret."

Hermione stared at Ron. After blinking a couple of times her attentions turned to the passing landscape. She didn't know what to think. Ron continued his tirade about Lucius Malfoy the Death Eater until Hermione could no longer sit there listening. Standing up she excused herself, stepping out into the corridor.

Not many students were wandering the corridors. They seemed eerily deserted and abandoned just as Platform 9 ¾ had seemed abandoned. Voldemort was the cause for this. As she traveled the corridor, her thoughts wandered beyond Voldemort to Lucius. Where was he?

She paused in the corridor, pulling out the compass and looking at it. The combination of her memories from before and after the memory loss gave her a different view…a view into the adult Lucius, though not complete or comprehensible. Out of the darkness, behind her, she felt the soft caress of someone's breath on her neck.

"Are we…up to something Miss Granger? Do you need a detention already?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at the deep voice of her ex-potions master. With her memory loss came getting to know Severus Snape once again and thus she knew him on a new different level other than just an ex-professor. Turning around slowly she looked him up and down with own eyebrow arched. He stood in the shadows before her in a long black cloak with the hood up hiding his face.

"If you were still my professor that prospect might frighten me, but as you are no longer my professor…well, let's just say it doesn't frighten me so much." She looked over what he was wearing. "Are you trying to frighten first years, Severus?"

He sneered in response, but that served only to make Hermione laugh. At this point she knew him too well to find it disconcerting in the least. He rolled his eyes.

"As insufferable as ever I see."

Hermione nodded her head, but then grew quiet. They stood there. Hermione looking at her feet feeling slightly guilty for the laughter when Lucius was missing. Severus stood there watching Hermione.

"Mister Weasley is not worried about your whereabouts?"

Hermione looked up, wondering where that question came from. She shook her head no.

"No, we're still friends, but we stopped seeing each other before Halloween."

Severus nodded his head.

"Yes, well…I never could see that one working."

Hermione looked up at him trying to decide whether to be insulted.

"Pardon?"

With an exasperated sigh that was typical for Severus, he explained.

"You were always much too smart for the boy. You were always better suited for someone…older."

Placing the hood back up on his cloak he stepped back farther into the shadow as a student passed by.

"Severus," Hermione began tentatively. "Draco blames me for Lucius' disappearance. Is it true? Is Lucius missing because he was protecting me?"

He lowered his hood. His black hair framed his pale face. His eyes bore into her with an odd glint unfamiliar to Hermione.

"It is possible, Miss Granger, but he is not the first man to _protect _you. Personally, I found it tiring year after year…"

"Yes, you made it all too obvious."

His head tilted toward her as if asking 'what do you mean.' She smiled slightly as she remembered what it was like to be his student.

"You hated teaching me. You have previously admitted such…"

"No, Miss Granger. You are mistaken. I said I found pleasure in it."

She looked at him skeptically as she thought back to their conversation at the Malfoy Christmas ball. Yes, perhaps in a warped round about way he did say he found pleasure in teaching her. A bittersweet smile graced her lips as she looked down almost in embarrassment.

"All I ever wanted was your approval…your acceptance…acknowledgment. Ridiculous and childish I know, but it's always those professors that push you the hardest…the ones that force you to go beyond your potential…"

She shrugged slightly as she looked up at him. No smile was on his face. Instead, there was a serious look she could not recall ever seeing.

"I always acknowledged your intelligence…my approval and acceptance was there with every O you received."

She laughed.

"Your acknowledgement consisted of sneers when my hand was in the air and ignoring it…or calling me an 'insufferable know it all.' A girl needs more than that Severus." She was laughing, half joking. The sound of footsteps coming along the corridors alerted them to a student's approach in their direction. Severus was to remain hidden. Throwing his hood up, he grabbed Hermione and fell back with her into the shadows.

With his arms around her, holding her tightly against him in the shadows, hidden he looked down at her. It dawned on him as if someone had turned on the light switch. He always knew it, but the implications came to light. He was not her professor. Lucius was. For once, Severus did not stop to analyze his behavior or what it could mean. Hermione's heart pounded as the student passed out of sight, but Severus kept a hold of her. His eyes closed for a moment as he took a deep breath and when he opened them, they possessed a smoldering look so unlike the Severus she remembered in the classroom. Possessively, hungrily, his lips crashed onto hers.

He mumbled into her mouth.

"Is this more like what you had in mind?"

She couldn't answer him…was she suppose to admit a schoolgirl crush on her professor? He felt her smile against his lips. As Severus caressed one side of her neck, his lips traveled to the other side. Her mind flashed to Lucius and why he was missing again. Later, Hermione would think it was possible that Severus simply used Legilimency on her to know where her mind went. He mumbled into her neck, between kisses.

"We do not know the real reason he is missing…realize this: I never called you a Mudblood."

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His world faded in and out…a hazy mist of reality. He stumbled grabbing hold of a tree for support. The dark forest surrounding him faded into pure blackness and then faded back into the hazy dark night. Dropping to the ground on his knees, he felt the liquid oozing down the side of his face. Reaching up touching the side of his head, he saw the blood covering his hands…it was only one of the places he was bleeding profusely. His energy was fading just as his life was. As he crawled through the forest, he felt the blood pouring from his leg, pouring from his head, covering his face. The forest began to thin and the moonlight shone down on his crumpled crawling form. Peering down at his blood covered hands his mind became a myriad of images and thoughts. Why did he do it? In the distance, through the thinning out trees he saw the hazy outline of a castle. Looking back down at his blood soaked hands, one thought filled his mind at that moment.

_Is this blood on my hands all for you?_


	22. Loyalties

Disclaimer: not mine.

A/N: For those of you who asked….yes, I may do a SS/HG next. Still thinking about it. Now….I have a couple cute little stories to share. First…my eight year old daughter is in love with Tom Felton which means she adores Draco. She has bad boy syndrome what can I say? Well, she loves the movies and I have told her and so has my eldest(her brother) that Draco's father is a Death Eater…he is not exactly a good guy (that we know of). The first time she watched GOF was when I bought the DVD for them. The graveyard scene came on and Lucius removes his mask. Oh Merlin! My daughter (Juliet) was devastated! She started crying! She went straight to her Drama Queen mode crying that Lucius betrayed his own son ect. It was quite amusing! Then yesterday I find out that my youngest daughter (Skylar) puts her Strawberry Shortcake blanket around her at night and pretends she is a bride. She walks across her bed to this huge poster of Harry Potter and then says "You may now kiss the bride" and she friggin kisses the poster! Juliet told me she does this and Skylar admitted it. I never laughed so hard in all my life! Okay…just two funny little stories I thought I would share. Now, please review this chapter and let me know what you think.

**Chapter 22**

_Loyalties_

_If you've got love in your sights_

_Watch out, love bites_

_When you make love, do you look in the mirror?_

_Who_ _do you think of?_

_Does he look like me?_

_Do you tell lies?_

_And_ _say that it's forever?_

_Do you think twice, or just touch 'n' see?_

_When you're alone, do you let go?_

_Are you wind 'n' willin' or is it just for show?_

_--Def Leppard_

He felt her stiffen slightly. Slowly pulling back, he looked at her with that insufferable smirk on his face. Severus could see the look on her face…acceptance. As Hermione looked at him, she realized how right he was. Severus never called her a Mudblood…never. Pulling his hood back up to hide his face, Severus swept out of the corner they were in and swept down the corridor.

Pulling herself together, Hermione stepped back into the compartment she was sharing with her friends. As she sat in her seat staring out at the sun setting landscape her mind wandered to her encounter with Severus. Totally unexpected. She felt her cheeks flush at the memory.

It didn't take long, maybe seconds, before her mind wandered to Lucius. Severus was right…they didn't really know why he was missing. Somewhere deep down she couldn't bring herself to believe that he had simply disappeared to join Voldemort in some elaborate plan at getting Harry. He never "disappeared" before to do that.

Night had settled over the land like a comforting blanket by the time the train pulled into Hogsmeade station. The students piled out of the train heading toward the thestral drawn carriages. Hermione could see them now…each year more and more of the students could see them. The thought created a fire deep in the pit of her stomach. Voldemort was stealing their innocence, their childhood. Behind the trio, a dark cloaked man appeared behind them walking a few steps before disappearing behind other students. Ron shook his head.

"You reckon Snape knows how bloody spooky he is when he does that?"

Harry chuckled slightly. Hermione shook her head.

"He is not to be seen or recognized Ron, you know that."

Ron shrugged his shoulders.

"Yea, I suppose you are right."

Together they climbed into one of the carriages and soon felt the bumpy road and the rocking of the carriage as it made its way up to the castle.

Harry and Ron immediately settled into Quidditch talk with the occasional comment from Ginny. Hermione stared out the window over the grounds as they entered the gates of Hogwarts. A feeling of safety and familiarity washed over her. A feeling that soon drained from her every fiber.

Crossing the grounds toward the castle, she saw it—a figure in the melting snow. It crawled from the forest the best it could. The white blond hair obscuring its face. Hermione watched in horror as this figure collapsed on the ground…still…still as death. From across her in the carriage, Harry noticed the panic stricken look on her face and they all felt it in her voice when she screamed.

"Stop! Stop!"

As if accustomed to taking verbal commands from its passengers, the thestral pulling their carriage stopped causing all others behind them to stop. Hermione hurried out of the carriage, nearly tripping on the way. The moment her feet hit the ground she began to run. Her goal was the crumpled figure in the snow.

Behind her, students filed out of the carriages watching their Head Girl run as if her very life depended on it. Curiosity overwhelming their very spirit, the students began to follow Hermione's path.

She reached him. Later she would swear her heart stopped beating in that moment…that she had died and this was her hell. He lay on the ground—a crumpled shattered form of his former self. Blood soaked his robes, covering his hands, pouring from his head down the side of his face, matting in his white blond hair. She dropped to her knees and grabbed him as if he was a life jacket and she was drowning. Pulling his head into her lap, she began to chant.

"Wake up….wake up…please be okay…please…"

Students approached with looks of morbid curiosity, horror, and shock. No one said anything, just stared at the scene on the ground before them. Severus followed the students along side Draco. They could hear Hermione's chants of "wake up" turn nearly to screams as they approached. They both shoved their way through the crowd to see what was going on. Draco and Severus stopped dead in their tracks at what they saw.

Hermione knelt on the ground with the bloodied body of Lucius Malfoy in her lap. Arms wrapped around his upper half, head in her lap, she rocked back and forth. Her own face was smeared with his blood as she continued rocking back and forth begging him to awaken not noticing the flash of Collin's camera.

"Hermione…leave him," Ron said. "He's gone. Let's just go up to the castle and get some help…"

Severus and Draco both saw the fire flash in her eyes before Ron even saw it coming.

"No Ronald! He is _not _dead…"

"Hermione, you don't know that…"

"Yes I do!"

Her head quickly turned to Ginny.

"Get the students back in the carriages and into the castle…now!"

Her eyes shifted from Draco and Severus to Harry. Looking Harry in the eye, she spoke more quietly.

"Send word to McGonagall Harry. Do it now."

Harry nodded, but before he could, Severus had taken his wand out of his cloak and a white form was running across the grounds to the castle. Hermione's eyes fell to Severus. His face obscured from the cloak, she could still see a shadowy form of his features.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Together, they all stood around waiting and watching Hermione Granger covered in the blood of Lucius Malfoy rocking his still form.

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Hermione felt numb as she stood there. She had refused to leave Lucius once they got him to Madame Pomfrey. He was now cleaned up, bandaged up and deep in sleep for a few days while Hermione looked down at him. Blood stained her clothing, smeared on her face and hands, but she seemed not to notice. The Headmistress stood behind her placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Miss Granger, go clean yourself up and get some rest. You may visit him in the morning before classes."

Hermione's eyes slowly looked to her Headmistress and then back down at Lucius. Nodding her head, she turned and walked toward Harry and Ron who were waiting by the door of the hospital wing for her. She walked out leaving Severus and Draco with Lucius.

Severus watched the bloodied girl leave and then looked down at his old companion. In Severus' mind, loyalties were being questioned.

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The owl carrying the _Daily Prophet _landed in front of Hermione a couple of days later. Swallowing her kippers down with her pumpkin juice, she reached into her bag for the sickles she needed. Placing them in the owl's pouch, she unrolled the _Prophet_. There he was on the front page. Hermione had been expecting it…waiting on it even. The Order, despite its history with the ministry still had connection within it and those connections came in useful at times. Severus Snape's picture scowled on the front page.

With a smile, Hermione folded the paper up. Grabbing her bag as she stood she looked at Harry and Ron.

"I'll meet you guys outside the potions class. I'm going to run up to the hospital wing for a minute."

Harry nodded, but Ron looked as if he were going to be ill. As she walked off, Ron leaned over to Harry.

"I don't like this Harry. Not one bit."

Hermione heard Ron, but ignored him. She really was not in any mood to fight with him…again. The corridors were deserted. Most students were still at breakfast. As Hermione turned a corner, a scuffling sound pulled her attention toward a statue. Collin Creevey was running from behind it and Draco Malfoy stepped out, placing something in his pocket. She watched him warily as he walked back toward the Great Hall. Hermione walked toward the hospital wing deep in thought and at war within herself. Her life at Hogwarts…in the wizarding world had always been black and white. One was either on the side of the Order or on the side of Voldemort. Good versus evil. Slowly, those lines were blurring into a myriad shades of grey.

Stepping into the hospital wing, she saw the curtain drawn around the bed on the other side of the room. Walking across the room and stepping behind the curtain, she saw Severus sitting in one of the two chairs that sat next to Lucius' bed. She plopped the paper into his lap as she sat down.

"I see your… 'disguise' is no longer needed."

Glancing at the paper, he handed it back to her with his 'what is it now, Granger' look.

"No," Hermione responded to his silence. "I suppose you won't give up hiding in that black cloak. You do love frightening the weak."

"As do you Miss Granger."

A snort of laughter came from Hermione. Severus turned to look at her, but her attention had drifted to something or someone else. Her eyes were resting on Lucius' form lying in the hospital bed. She stood up and stepped closer to the bed. Lucius looked so peaceful lying there. The blood was gone from his hair. Bruises marred various parts of his exposed flesh. He looked paler than usual and that very fact seemed to accent the cut that traveled from his hairline on the right side down to his jaw line where it seemed to trace it a couple of inches. It would leave a very light scar…Madame Pomfrey had already said as much. A piece of hair lay out of place, across Lucius' forehead. Reaching out, she gently brushed the hair from his face.

"He hasn't shown any sign of waking," Hermione asked, still watching Lucius.

She knew the question agitated Severus. She could tell by the sound of the deep breath he took before answering and the sound of him shifting in his chair.

"No. Madame Pomfrey has stopped administering the dreamless sleep potion so it should be any time now."

She nodded and turned around from the bed to pick up her bag. Severus remained in the chair, his elbows resting on the arms, his hands together forming a steeple, resting his chin on the tips. He watched Hermione bend down to lift up her bag…watched the way the skirt of her uniform rose slightly on her thigh and swung forward. He watched the material caressing her skin and slowly he sat back in his chair.

As Hermione tossed her bag on her shoulder, she looked at Severus sitting back in the chair.

"Have you eaten," she asked him with a tinge of concern lacing her words.

His eyes traveled up and down her body as he shook his head in response. Hermione sighed in exasperation of Severus obvious disregard for his own health.

"I have to get to potions right now, but I will bring you some food after."

She started to walk away, but cringed. Would the reminder that Severus no longer taught even potions bother him?

"Sorry," she said. "I…well…I…its just…"

His eyes continued to travel over her as she fidgeted.

"Go to class, Miss Granger and thank your lucky stars that _I _am no longer teaching it"

Eyeing him warily Hermione left the curtained off area heading out the door to class. The moment she was gone, the moment the sound of her feet faded away, Severus heard his voice. It was low and weak, but still held the demand and superiority it always had.

"Like what you see Severus?"

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Lucius felt like a caged animal. Madame Pomfrey would not let him leave for another day and Hermione Granger stood before him just looking at him. It was disturbing him to say the least. Sitting up in bed, looking as aristocratic as ever despite the damage that was still healing, he looked down his nose at her.

"I am not here for display Miss Granger."

Hermione blinked and looked away. It was a relief to see him awake and back to his old cruel self…as warped as that sounds. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she turned her head back toward Lucius. Her eyes traced the cut that was slowly fading to a scar. Tentatively, she reached out a finger and traced the mark along his hairline and jaw. Lucius appeared to flinch at her touch. She stopped and pulled her hand away remembering their last full conversation…the conversation in the gardens before everything went to hell. She knew why he flinched. Turning her head, she looked back at Severus sitting in the chair.

'…_I never called you a Mudblood.'_

Turning back to Lucius, she smiled.

"Oh, yes, that is right. I am inferior…dirty even. My apologies, Professor."

She stood up from the bed and walked toward the two chairs where her bag sat again. Lucius watched his old friend again. He watched Severus watch Hermione with the look of a hungry predator until she was out of sight. A sneer of pure disgust appeared on Lucius' face.

"Really Severus…could you do no better than that Mudblood?"

Severus said nothing as his eyebrow arched in amusement.

"I do not know what you mean, Lucius."

Lucius looked down his nose at Severus and chuckled in an oh so sarcastic way.

"Honestly Severus. You were sexually assaulting the girl without her so much as being aware of it. I might have to start questioning your loyalties."

Severus stood. Amusement was gone from his face, replaced with hatred.

"And I yours Lucius." A malicious smile formed on Severus' mouth. "The Dark Lord did not kill you. It is only a matter of time before he will ask for proof of your allegiance to him…you will be forced to prove your loyalty Lucius. What part will Miss Granger play in that?"

Without waiting for a response, Severus threw the hood of his cloak up and swept from the hospital wing.

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Draco was waiting for Hermione outside the DADA classroom. The trio approached the classroom, slowing their pace when they noticed Draco standing there…eyes set on Hermione. Keeping his eyes on Hermione, Draco spoke to the boys.

"I need a word with Granger."

Harry and Ron both looked to Hermione as if asking if she were okay with this. With a small appreciative smile to the boys, she nodded her head. Her and Draco watched Harry and Ron walk into the classroom. When the door closed, Draco turned back to Hermione.

"Remus seems to think I had no right to say what I did."

Hermione nodded her head for him to continue.

"I'll admit I may have been a bit…harsh. What I said is true though—this is a war and with war comes sacrifice. Father obviously sees something worthy in you." Draco shrugged his shoulders and turned into the classroom. Shaking her head, Hermione stepped into the classroom.

Lucius was sitting at his desk watching the students slowly fill up the classroom. Eyes wandered to him and only lingered for seconds before looking away. He watched Harry and Ron walk in and take their seats, but with no sign of Hermione. Then he saw his son walk in followed by Hermione. Hermione was shaking her head slightly as if in disbelief over something his son probably did. When she sat down between the boys, they immediately leaned over to speak with her. Lucius didn't have to hear them to know they were concerned…it was written on their faces.

He stood in order to bring the class to order and begin. Draco stood on the other side of his desk.

"Yes, Draco?"

Draco said nothing to his father. Placing something on his father's desk, he turned and walked to his own seat. Words were not necessary for what he was trying to show his father. Waiting to address the class, Lucius looked down on his desk at what his son left for him. The first thought that came to mind was not a pleasant one…necessarily.

_Someone should strangle Creevey with his own camera strap._

The picture could not be referred to as simple. It was a moment in time…a very complicated moment Lucius could have lived without knowing. Hermione was on the ground…on her knees holding an unconscious Lucius. He paled slightly at the sight of Hermione covered in his blood.

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"The boy needs to be stopped," Lucius spoke in an overly controlled and silky voice.

Headmistress McGonagall looked down at the picture once again.

"I admit that was rather distasteful of the boy. I will have a word with him."

Lucius looked at McGonagall as if she had just sprouted the head of Albus Dumbledore.

"I should hope you would do more than just speak with the boy."

"Lucius," McGonagall said with a warning tone to her voice. With a slight nod of his head, Lucius left the Headmistress' office followed by the silent spectator.

"What do you want Severus," Lucius asked as he headed down the hall toward his own quarters.

Severus stepped out of the shadows, cloak obscuring his presence again.

"What is it that vexes you more Lucius? The fact that the boy took the picture or the fact that you had to see it?"

Lucius said nothing at first, maintaining an impassive face. Severus shook his head in disbelief.

"You didn't see her Lucius. That picture does not give justice to the horror of that night. She refused to leave your side…" Severus chuckled slightly. "Not that you truly care. Now, I must be off. I have somewhere to be."

Lucius watched his friend sweep down the corridor. Sighing, Lucius pulled out the mirror he still had. The mirror surface seemed to be a swirling fog before the vision of the girl in question appeared. From the surroundings it would appear that she was in the library. Her forehead scrunched up in thought, she stopped writing and began leafing through a book. This was the girl from his past, the girl who spent her life in the wizarding world hating him and he hating her…she was a Mudblood…this was the girl that held his bloody body refusing to leave his side.

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Hermione looked around her. Harry and Ron were at Quidditch practice, having left Hermione in the library. The sun had gone down creating the darkened corner Hermione worked diligently in. The candelabra sitting near her cast her in an amber glow. The world around her had faded into night as she worked. Glancing around she noticed most of the library had been emptied of its occupants having decided they studied enough.

Her eyes darted around nervously. She had that feeling again…the feeling of being watched. As if her every move was being monitored and measured. Standing up, she placed her school bag in her seat and began placing her books back inside. Leaning across the table to gather a book she felt it…arms wrapping around her.

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Severus stood in the shadows of the corner…watching. From across the area of the library he was in, he saw another pair of eyes watching—a pair of cold grey ones. He watched her fingers, dropping her quill, slowly move up to her neck—rubbing the muscles. He knew she could feel the eyes on her when she stopped and looked around with that curious look he found so insufferable when he was her professor. She stood up and bent over the table to get a book. Severus' eyes met Lucius' across the area. Lucius' eyes narrowed on him causing him to smirk. Looking back at Hermione his thoughts wandered. He wasn't her professor. His eyes raked over her form reaching for the book. With one last look to Lucius, he reached out, wrapping his arm around her waist from behind…pulling her into the shadows with him.

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It was there and then Lucius began to seriously question Severus Snape's loyalty—watching him step out of the shadows momentarily, hidden in his black cloak. It was watching Severus Snape's hands on Hermione that did it. It was watching Snape's large hands caressing Hermione's small delicate neck as his mouth assaulted hers that Lucius felt an undeniable hatred for his old friend.


	23. Hogsmeade

**Disclaimer: **We all know this is not mine.

A/N: Please oh please review. Oh yes, did anyone else stop getting any e-mail alerts? Not a single review came to my mailbox….I had to check my settings, but they were enabled so just curious if anyone else is having this problem. Please review anyway….let me know what you think. Oh….and voting begins: my next fic—would you like another LM/HG or a SS/HG? Let the voting begin!

**Chapter 23**

_Hogsmeade_

_I could say to you_

_A bitter word or two_

_There's_ _no stopping now_

_Just get it out in the air_

_Heard it through the fog_

_And hurt by it all_

_I'd_ _take it back today_

_But_ _its' out of my hands…_

_--Finger Eleven_

Slowly Hermione's hands made their way to Severus' chest. She pushed gently, hoping she would not need to become overly physical to get him off her. Not that her becoming overly physical meant much…he was a rather large man in comparison to her. It wasn't just that. She didn't want to create a scene and she didn't want Snape trying to snog her in the library to be the next rumor running about the school. Deciding a little more force was necessary, she pushed again.

"Severus…what do you think you are doing?"

Reluctantly, Severus took a step back. Hermione turned toward the table again when she heard Severus' voice.

"I should think that was obvious."

Taking a deep sigh she looked up…into the face of Lucius Malfoy. He stood on the other side of the table, face impassionate, eyes darting from Hermione to Severus. Hermione felt frozen in Lucius' gaze. A chill ran down her spine.

"Miss Granger, detention tomorrow night…7 o'clock."

His voice held nothing…no emotion what so ever. With a growl of disbelief and frustration, she snatched her bag off her chair and stormed from the library ignoring the disproving look from Madame Pince. In the meantime, Lucius said nothing to Severus…not one word. Instead, Lucius turned to walk off just as his mark began to burn. From the corner of his eye, he saw the barely visible flinch of Severus. His was burning too. Lucius' eyes slowly looked to Severus.

"Tell me Severus, does your little _friend _know you bare the mark she so hates?"

Falling in step with Lucius, Severus looked at his companion.

"She's known since she was fourteen years old, Lucius."

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Lord Voldemort stared into the eyes of Lucius Malfoy…a sickly smile graced his lips.

"Its time Lucius. Time to redeem yourself for your last transgression."

Lucius held his breath as Lord Voldemort bent down to look him in the face better.

"You will take her, Lucius," he whispered. "Take her and keep her at the manor." Voldemort stood up to full height again. "And remove the wards from the manor Lucius."

"Yes, my lord."

"You have a week, Lucius. If you do not do this…if you do not succeed, your death will not be quick. I should think it would be easy to lure her away given your…history with the girl."

Lucius looked up feeling the panic rush through him.

"My lord, I do not…"

"Silence! Do not insult my intelligence Lucius. The girl followed you and watched you receive your Dark Mark, she will follow you to the manor."

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Hermione stood before her friends fidgeting nervously with her hands. Harry and Ron's blank stares were not improving her disposition. Ron's face slowly began to turn an obscene shade of red.

"Let me get this straight," he said with barely contained anger. "I could never snog you, but you got detention for _snogging_ _Snape_?" He was on his feet yelling now. Hermione was thanking Merlin that most everyone was at dinner.

"Not exactly," she stated in a rather shaky voice.

"You either did or you didn't, Hermione."

She took a deep breath, trying desperately to keep calm.

"I pushed him away, Ron. It's what I should have done the first time."

Hermione cringed, realizing what she had said. Ron's face grew even redder if that were possible and Harry now held narrowed eyes on her as if seeing her for the first time.

"The first time," Ron screamed at her. "I couldn't come near you and yet you snog Snape _twice_."

Hermione could no longer take Harry's silence and Ron's screams. Why were they not listening to what she was saying exactly? The sound of Ron's voice inside her head at its highest decibel pushed her too far.

"Yes, Ronald! _Twice!_ And he didn't slobber on me like some _inexperienced child _who doesn't know what to do!"

The moment she said those words her hand clasped onto her mouth in disbelief at what she had just yelled back to him. Ron had ceased all movement, just looking at her. A pin could have dropped in the common room and it would have sounded like an anvil falling from the highest tower. Without a word, Ron left for dinner. Harry stood up from the sofa he was sitting on. He still held that look—as if Hermione was someone he really didn't know.

"Of all the people," Harry spoke softly. With his hands in his pocket he looked down and then back up at Hermione. "I never pegged you as a traitor Hermione, but as always, you proved us wrong."

He stepped through the portrait hole leaving Hermione in the common room alone. She stood there watching the portrait close with one thought filling her head.

_I am going to kill Severus Snape._

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Dinner was a horrid affair. When Hermione entered the Great Hall Harry and Ron took one glance at her and then proceeded to ignore her presence. Looking around the Great Hall she felt her appetite waning. Turning around, she left the Great Hall.

At the head table, Lucius watched her enter and noticed the tension existing between the girl and her friends. When she left instead of taking a seat, he rose from his own chair bidding everyone a good evening.

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As Lucius approached his classroom, he noticed Hermione sitting on the floor just outside the door. Slowly walking up to her, he looked down his nose at her. She stood up with a tinge of agitation in her movements. He stood there just watching her rise from the ground, brushing any dust and dirt off her robes. Her eyes looked up at his when she reached her full height. Her agitation grew. This was her enemy, he had explained that to her. She knew this when she went into the past, but at least she had Harry and Ron to talk to. Now she didn't even have them. To Harry and Ron she was a traitor. To Lucius she was the dirty enemy.

With a flick of his wand, the classroom unlocked permitting Hermione inside. As they walked in Lucius pointed at a desk in the middle of the classroom.

"Sit there."

Without protesting, she sat down. He pointed at the chalkboard and words appeared.

"You will write these lines until I say you have done enough."

Hermione read what she was suppose to write over and over again. 'I will not fraternize with the enemy.' Her eyes looked toward Lucius who seemed to be standing a few desks away waiting for her reaction.

"Enemy," she asked.

Walking toward her, he kept his nose turned up and his eyes on her. Standing in front of her desk, he reached out grabbing her arm. Forcing her sleeve up, he looked at her arm and smirked.

"I see no Dark Mark, yet you were snogging your ex-_professor _in the library. You do not share the Mark…you are the enemy."

She jerked her arm out of his grip. He heard a slight sniffle come from her as she dipped her quill in her ink and began writing out her lines. Satisfied that not another word would come from her, Lucius turned toward his own desk.

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Thunder rolled across the sky. Severus stood in Lucius' office observing his surroundings. Lucius appeared to be trying to ignore him. The fire dancing in the fireplace gave all the hardened features of Lucius' office a soft glow.

"Everything is ready? The wards have been removed?"

Lucius stopped writing and looked up at Severus, sneering.

"Do not worry, Severus. Your little girlfriend will not be harmed…much."

The sound of Severus' laughter, odd to those who did not know him well, frustrated Lucius to no end.

"My girlfriend, Lucius?"

Lucius looked at Severus waiting for him to continue.

"She is not my girlfriend."

Lucius chuckled slightly as he stood up to gather his cloak.

"Forgive me, Severus, _friend_, but your recent actions says otherwise."

Lucius threw his cloak over his shoulders doing up the serpent clasp.

"Ah, Lucius. The library. Tell me, Lucius, whose face do you suppose she saw when she closed her eyes? Do you honestly believe it to be mine? I was simply reaping the benefits of your dissent."

Lucius' eyes narrowed onto Severus. Every ounce of anger for his so-called friend was pouring off him in waves. Severus could feel it and he smiled slightly about it…enjoying watching the pureblooded aristocrat squirm when faced with truth. Lucius, grabbing his serpent tipped cane, began to walk passed Severus, but stopped next to him instead. Turning his head slightly, Lucius spoke to Severus in a very cool, refined, controlled voice.

"I'd watch my back if I were you Severus. You never know when there is a traitor in your midst…unfortunately, I learned that one the hard way."

Severus cocked an eyebrow and nodded his head slightly.

"Indeed, Lucius. You never know."

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The thunder rolled across the sky. Hermione looked up to the dark clouds hovering above threatening to spill its contents. She wasn't yet in the village and wondered if she would make it before the rain started. Looking around her, she noticed various Hogwarts students gathered with friends. Looking straight ahead, she began a list of things she needed in her mind trying not to think about her lack of companionship on this Hogsmeade weekend.

"Bloody hell," she mumbled to herself, as the rain broke free from the clouds. The rain did not start slow, but come down suddenly and quickly—like a giant waterfall crashing down into the river. She had just reached the village when she found herself drenched by the rain. Most of the students were already fully in the village and dove for cover inside the buildings. Hermione still stood five feet from the first building. Despite being soaked immediately, she reached into her cloak and pulled out her wand.

The spell, on the tip of her tongue, was never released.

A cold hand wrapped around her wrist holding it so tight she felt the circulation being shut off. Instinctively, her hand opened, dropping her wand.

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Severus stood out by the lake in the rain. The sun was setting and the rain was continuing. He watched the raindrops plunge into the lake creating the expanding ripples…a symbol…a sign…a lesson…the stone in the water metaphor. Silently, Severus wondered if Voldemort was ever taught that lesson in the orphanage he was raised in. Why did Dumbledore never try to teach him this as a child? He heard the sound of raging footsteps rushing toward him. The ripple effect from his stone in the water. Turning around, he saw Harry running toward him and he knew why. The whole castle was in an uproar over the missing Head Girl.

"What have you done with her," Harry yelled.

Severus looked lazily at Harry. With a swish of his wand, Severus threw off whatever it was Harry was trying to do. A blue light flew off course hitting a tree causing a limb to sever from its trunk and crash to the ground.

"Still not closing your mind I see."


	24. Tangled Web of Deceit

Disclaimer: not mine.

A/N: okay….please review. Voting for either LM/HG or SS/HG is still going on. And I would like to say to the anon. reviewer calling themselves Anastasia that when reviewing please do not leave immature ramblings about how grossed out you are about the SS/HG happenings in this story—it was the equivillent of name calling. It's a fictional character for goodness sakes! Okay…please review everyone and let me know your vote (though my mother is trying desperately to outvote you all insisting I do a SS/HG one next)!

**Chapter 24**

_Tangled Web of Deceit_

_Bound at every limb by my shackles of fear  
Sealed with lies through so many tears  
Lost from within, pursuing the end  
I fight for the chance to be lied to again_

_--Evanescence_

Her head was pounding…a pain throbbed in her wrist and ankle occasionally accompanied by a sharp stabbing pain. She was cold…so cold. Slowly her eyes opened and her world began to focus. Her world was currently sideways—she was lying on the floor. She tried pushing herself off the ground to a sitting position, but her wrist was in too much pain and gave way. She fell back onto the hard cold stone. Pulling her wrist up against herself, she pushed with the one hand. Sitting there, she looked around.

It was old…wherever she was. The walls were sturdy yet the stone looked worn, aged. No windows shed in any light. Soon she noticed the bars where the doorway was and many other stone compartments like hers, but those were empty. She was in an ancient looking prison cell. A door somewhere opened casting in a bit of light. Shadows played along the walls and she recognized the voices of the men that took her from her life. Watching the distortion of their shadows as they traveled down a corridor toward her cell, she scooted back against the wall, hiding in the darkness the prison offered.

She shivered. Her hair clung to her face. She obviously had not been out long because she was still soaked from the rain. Her body shook uncontrollably in the dark, though from fear or the coldness of her wet skin she did not know. She heard a door down the corridor open again and what sounded like panic in her captors' voices. Someone was very displeased.

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Lucius was greeted by one of his house elves. Handing his bag to the house elf, Lucius looked around.

"Where are they?"

The house elf, with her nervous disposition around her master looked up and then down at her feet.

"Theys in the old section."

Lucius waved the house elf on and watched as it popped out of sight with his travel bag. Walking with his usual air of power, Lucius headed to an old pantry in the kitchens. Opening the door, he felt the back wall of the small room for the latch and swung open the hidden door. Walking down the old stone steps, he heard the sounds of scuffling feet as they rushed down the corridor to meet him.

As he stepped out of the stairwell, the Lestrange brothers came forward.

"I told him, Lucius…I told him you did not want her in the old dungeons."

Rabastan was approaching Lucius confident in defying his brother yet not so when it came to facing Lucius. Lucius looked down his nose at him and then to Rodolphus. Rabastan had a dark bruise forming just under his eye and Rodolphus was smeared with blood from an obvious nosebleed. He said nothing. Lucius swept passed the brothers heading down the corridor.

He stopped when he reached the cell holding the girl. He could see her trying to disappear in the darkness. Her legs were pulled up to her chest as if trying to warm her, but it was not working. Her eyes darted around nervously…full of fear. She was soaked through from the rain. His eyes scanned over her as if she were disgusting. He noticed the odd angle of her right foot and the swelling around that ankle and her left wrist. A small cut on her temple sent a trickle of blood down her face. Lucius slowly turned from looking at her to the Lestrange brothers walking toward him. He noticed Rodolphus walking as if it caused him extreme pain.

"You were told _not_ to harm her," Lucius voice was laced with such anger that the brothers stopped in their tracks for a moment. Neither brother said anything at first, looking to the ground as if ashamed. With an eyebrow raised up in a quizzical look, Lucius looked intently at the brothers. "Gentlemen?"

The brothers exchanged defeated looks.

"She was not easy to get here, Lucius," Rabastan stated.

Lucius looked back to the girl in the cell to the brothers.

"You are telling me that the two of you could not capture one _wandless_ chit of a girl?"

He was amused…very amused. He looked over the injuries the two men seemed to have acquired in their task.

"She's a fighter, Lucius," Rabastan said.

"Give me a chance, Lucius…I'll break her," Rodolphus stated with that sickening smile he always got when games would be played. Lucius wanted to throttle him. Reaching out, Lucius grabbed Rodolphus by the throat.

"You will do no such thing." Lucius sat Rodolphus back down. "Is that clear?"

He waited for Rodolphus to nod his head in understanding. Lucius stepped toward the caged door and began to open it.

"Lucius, she's a feisty one. You might not want to do that."

He turned a withering look to Rabastan.

"You just don't know how to handle this mudblood."

Lucius stepped into the cell and walked across the room until he was standing before Hermione. Her eyes appeared dark with multitudes of depth. She shivered, but her eyes never left his. Betrayal stood out in her eyes like a beacon in the night. Without turning away from Hermione, he spoke to the Lestrange brothers.

"You may leave now. I will take care of her."

Without another word, the brothers left. Lucius waited until the sound of the pantry door shutting could be heard. He had to get her out of this cell and into her room. Leaning toward her to pick her up, she flinched and backed up the best she could.

"Don't touch me," she hissed. "You betrayed me."

He watched her shiver yet again. Squatting down to get as close to eye level with her as he could, he looked at her.

"I betrayed nothing, Miss Granger. You have always known who I am."

Without waiting for her approval, he reached out and lifted her up off the stone floor into his arms. He felt her hiss in pain of the sudden movement, but offered no apology. He carried her out of the old prison up into the manor. He carried her up the grand staircase to his room. He carried her across his room to the bathroom where he sat her on the counter.

Hermione said nothing to him. She simply watched him wondering how the boy she met when she went back in time turned into this man. Her eyes followed him as he ducked down under the sink and stood back up.

"I have no potions to heal sprang wrists or ankles or broken bones for that matter, so we will simply wrap them and let them rest."

She still said nothing as he stood in front of her holding her leg up examining her swollen ankle. She felt his fingers caress the skin in observation. Taking his wand, one slow delicate movement later, her ankle was wrapped in a bandage. His hand reached out to her wrist. She felt a chill run through her when his fingertips caressed her own in their attempt at reaching her wrist. Another slow delicate movement with his wand and the wrist was wrapped just as the ankle was.

Lucius was avoiding looking her in the eyes. He didn't know why…he just couldn't do it. He couldn't look at the betrayal she held in them. Once he was done bandaging her sprains, he had to look at the cut on her temple. With one hand leaning on the counter next to Hermione, he used the other to turn her chin to the side to get a better look at it. His eyes followed the small trickle of blood coming from the cut—the blood that looked just like his own.

Taking a small dab of potion from the battle he got out from under the sink, he gently touched it to her cut. She flinched, moving to the side a bit as if she were trying to back away from the pain it caused. Automatically, as if to keep her from falling off the counter, Lucius' hand that was leaning on the counter next to her moved to her hip as if to keep her there. Hermione felt every fiber in her body seem to vibrate, as everything around her seemed to come to a screeching halt.

She found it hard to swallow as Lucius rubbed the healing potion into her cut. Lucius watched it slowly disappear, not removing his hand from her hip. Suddenly, he stopped rubbing the potion and she heard his voice, soft and controlled in her ear.

"There. Finished."

Slowly she turned her head to face him. For a moment it was as if she was staring into the eyes of the Lucius she knew in the past…the Lucius he used to be, even that one was not perfect, but he would never have hurt her like this. He watched her tongue gently lick her lips nervously. Lucius cleared his throat.

"I must lift you one more time."

Hermione did not respond, but did not protest when Lucius reached out picking her up. He sat her gently on his bed.

"I must leave you now. The Dark Lord is waiting for me to report to him when I have you."

He watched her eyes seem to cloud over at the mention of Voldemort.

"You won't be able to leave the manor. The ward I have set will not only alert me to any arrivals, but will prevent your escape. So, don't be foolish."

He turned leaving her alone in the room.

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He cleared his mind of all emotion…all thought…all but one. The vision of Hermione Granger being pulled into the dark, being thrown against a bookshelf…the vision of Severus Snape's hands on her leg…waist…arm…neck flowed to the forefront of his mind invading everything Voldemort could see in Lucius. He noticed the glint in Voldemort's eye at the memory Lucius allowed forth.

"Keep the girl at the manor Lucius. Think of her as your prize for a job well done," Voldemort spoke softly and his smile was chilling.

"Thank you my lord."

"You may leave now, Lucius. I have another matter to attend to."

Lucius bowed and left the Dark Lord having a feeling he knew what the other matter Voldemort had the need to attend to.

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The sun slowly set as Hermione waited in Lucius' room. She couldn't get up even if she wanted to…her injuries saw to that. The sound of Lucius' voice, his words, his reactions to the Lestranges taunted her. Why was he unhappy about her being down there? Why was he unhappy that she was harmed? She lay there in the dark letting her thoughts bounce around in her mind.

She was a myriad of thoughts and feelings. Harry felt betrayed because of Snape's advances toward her…so blinded by what he simply cannot accept. Ron felt betrayed by her for pretty much the same reason. And now, she felt betrayed though she couldn't figure out why. She was always so smart. How could she not guess that Lucius was, well, still Lucius? No, she knew. Her memory that came back to her in pieces like a puzzle first created one picture and then another confusing the senses, confusing the thoughts. Slowly, as her thoughts swirled, the world she was trapped in drifted away into darkness.

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Night had fallen when Lucius returned to the manor. Slowly, he opened his bedroom door. It was dark inside and the sliver of light that came from the open door fell across the bed. Hermione lay curled up sound asleep. He watched the light disappear as he closed the door. As he removed the black leather gloves he had worn out, placing them on a side table, he heard his voice.

"I thought she was not to be harmed."

Lucius looked over by the French doors. Stepping out of the dark corner was Severus Snape.

"You have the Lestranges to thank for that, Severus."

Severus looked down to the bed at the sleeping girl. Walking toward Lucius, he smiled with a hint of sarcasm.

"Yes, that may be, but she was _your_ responsibility. If I tell McGonagall the girl is hurt in anyway…"

"Ah…but you won't Severus," Lucius interrupted. "I have a feeling you will be much too…busy."

Severus sneered at Lucius as he felt the Mark burning in his skin.

"What have you done," he hissed at him.

One corner of Lucius' mouth turned up in a matured version of Draco's smirk. He nodded his head curtly.

"You best run along, Severus. The Dark Lord beckons."

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Severus stood before the Dark Lord…mind blank. Voldemort walked around him in his usual delicate, graceful way. He was gathering his thoughts into actual words…words that could be the last Severus Snape ever hears. Finally, he stopped in front of Severus.

"I have seen something most troubling, Severus."

"How may I be of service my lord," Severus responded like a good little Death Eater anxiously awaiting instructions.

"You can start by explaining why a _faithful _Death Eater of mine would lay his hands on a filthy Mudblood."

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Hermione's eyes fluttered open. The warmth and comfort she felt woke her up…it wasn't there when she went to sleep. Her hand was resting on something warm and fleshy. The moon shone through the window and across the bed. She looked next to her and saw him.

Lucius lay there next to her with his cloak off, shoes off, and shirt unbuttoned. In his sleep, the aristocratic demeanor he held fell away. He was relaxed in a world Hermione did not know of. Her hand was resting on his chest. Smiling to herself, she snuggled just a bit closer. For this night, it was as if she was back in his seventh year again and she was with her best friend. She knew when she woke up and he woke up things would be back the way they were, but for this one night she could have the past…for this one night he was not the Death Eater who orchestrated her kidnapping.

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McGonagall sat behind her desk watching Potter pace around her office ranting. Her eyes traveled to the portrait of Dumbledore. He offered an encouraging smile that made even his portrait's eyes twinkle. Harry's words began to sink in and she began to understand what Harry was saying.

"You most certainly will not do any such thing. Is that clear?"

McGonagall stood up causing Harry to stop his rant. Remus placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry, the Order is looking for her."

Harry looked around at the Weasleys, Remus, McGonagall…it was as if they didn't care.

"Not good enough. I will find her."

Severus stepped out of the shadows…paler than usual, beads of cold sweat on his brow, and barely able to move—the evidence of the cruciatus curse inflicted on him the previous night.

"The Dark Lord ordered her kidnapping, Potter. He undoubtedly has a use for her and will make sure she stays put."

Harry's eyes narrowed.

"I don't care….I am ready to face him."

Severus sneered.

"No, you are not," he hissed. "Luck and the intelligence of those close to you will not save you if you insist on searching for her this time, Potter. Perhaps you should put this endless energy of yours into a task more worthy…a task that will not only return the brains of the golden trio, but also rid the wizarding world of its largest menace other than yourself."

Harry was fuming.

"I have to find Voldemort to do either!"

"No," Severus roared. "You have to find and destroy the remaining horcruxes first!"

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Lucius sat at the foot of his bed, rubbing his head. He had left Hermione in the bathroom so she could bathe and change. The only thing he had for her to change into was a white button up shirt. To go rummaging through her clothing at school would definitely draw attention to him and to go out buying clothes for her would draw attention to him also.

His head pounded. His life was full of lies…a tangled web of deceit. He heard the bathroom door open and the sound of someone hoping on one foot. He looked up. There she was in the doorway…the only truth in his life it seemed. His eyes traveled her form observing her injuries. He looked away. Even that truth was being tainted by the lies and deceit…she was caught in its web.


	25. The First Spy

Disclaimer: Not mine as you know.

A/N: Please review. Now read this carefully: First, as a mother I must reprimand some of you for not reading an a/n carefully. Second, as a writer I must now explain. The voting has moved from what it was for to being about this fic. NO! This fic is a Lucius/Hermione. There is no debating this issue. The vote is for my NEXT fanfic…I did say that once already. Okay…please review and let me know what you think.

**Chapter 25**

_The First Spy_

_Your sweet little hands  
Brush right past me  
Sometimes you don't understand  
Why you can't reach  
I bite when I don't want to bend  
How silent I can be  
So she is silent too  
She's the one who saw my words  
Broken, Torn at the seams  
And broken words were all she heard  
Now she's walking away from me  
Some never meant  
And some meant well  
The difference between us is so  
Hard to tell  
I was so shaken but now  
All I see  
Is everything she meant to me_

_--Finger Eleven_

She was precariously balanced in the doorway on one foot and using her good hand to hold the framing. The shirt, one of Lucius' shirts, was a white button up that reached just a tad longer than mid-thigh. He watched her standing like that in the doorway. She was technically a prisoner…that thought washed over him. There was so much she didn't know, didn't understand and he wondered if she knew would things be different? Would he be allowed to feel the way he does? Would he allow himself to? She swayed slightly in her spot.

"I'm here on Voldemort's orders aren't I?"

Lucius' eyes lifted up to meet hers. She sounded defeated and resigned. He nodded his head. She nodded her understanding in return. He was a Death Eater after all. Lucius knew this was a possibility when he was in his seventh year and they fought over his future status as Death Eater. He knew then that he would be a Death Eater and she would not…he just didn't know she was a Mudblood.

"Will I have to see him?"

Her voice was low and sounded frightened. Lucius looked at her curiously. He knew that if she were able to stand fully on both feet, she would be nervously playing with her hands. He stood up off the bed.

"All your little…adventures with Potter…surely you have faced him before?"

Her eyes followed him as he stood and shook her head no.

"No," she whispered. "I have never had to face him. It was always just Harry."

The implications of her admission seemed to hit him, propelling him forward. He stood in front of her, looking down at her.

"You've never faced him?"

"No," she shook her head. "Never."

Through all those adventures with Potter she had never been forced to face the darkest wizard of all time…she kept at least that innocence. She was protected from that. He didn't move, just standing there looking down at her. She swayed on her foot again shaking Lucius out of his reverie. Leaning down he place one arm on her back and the other the back of her knees, lifting her off the ground.

"Thank you," she whispered as her hand slid up his chest, resting on his shoulder.

As he carried her to the bed, he began thinking and comparing. She was the same Hermione he knew in the past and yet many years had passed and now she seemed so small compared to him. She was always much smaller, but a seventeen year old boy is still growing. He placed her gently on the bed.

"Why do I sleep in here instead of the room I occupied during holiday?"

He stood over her, looking at her.

"The Dark Lord's orders were for you to remain in my care and not out of my sight. I am sorry, but I can't take the chance of you escaping."

She looked away and nodded her head before pulling the covers back and sinking into them. He watched her movements. He watched the fabric of her shirt shift further up her thigh when she shifted her legs to get under the covers. Swallowing hard, he looked away as the memory of seeing Severus' hands on her emerged. Closing his eyes it only became more vivid and his anger grew. His growing anger created many conflicts within him…he didn't want them. One conflict being why this image angered him—was it because a fellow Death Eater was touching a Mudblood? Was it because this, in actuality, had been the Hermione from his past…the Hermione he could never forget? The only time she had ever seen Voldemort was from a distance when he was still Tom Riddle in appearances…when Lucius received his Dark Mark. His mind flashed to the passion flashing like fire in her eyes as she protested his receiving the Dark Mark….as she protested the very thought of Voldemort.

"_Your condescension astounds me. Am I so inferior to you because I would not even toy with the idea of marring my skin with the mark of the evil calling himself Voldemort? Then so be it."_

He wanted those memories gone. He looked out the French doors at the moon. The memories wouldn't go away…they were taunting him.

"_Go ahead hold your head high in your false sense of pride, Mister Malfoy. By all means you believe it is justly deserved. Just remember that pride you hold so dear when you are a fallen broken man because of your 'Dark Lord.' Remember it well Lucius Malfoy—it will be your only true friend."_

Breathing deeply he turned his gaze back to Hermione laying there in an attempt at sleep. Despite what her words had been, she seemed still to view him in such a light as a friend. He had a crush on the girl when she popped out of nowhere into his dormitory bed, but that night—the night she stood before him, fire blazing in her eyes denouncing everything he ever believed…that was the night a seventeen-year-old Lucius fell in love with one Hermione Dagworth-Granger A. K. A. Hermione Granger.

Turning away from Hermione in the bed and his memories, Lucius stepped into the bathroom to shower and change. His hope was to wash it all away.

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Hermione heard the bathroom door close when Lucius entered. The room was dark with the exception of the moonlight pouring in through the windows and French doors. Sighing, she moved to lie on her back. The moment she turned a hand came out of the darkness by the bed and clasped over her mouth…preventing her from screaming. Her eyes wide she looked toward the owner of the hand. It was Severus Snape.

"Do not scream. I am going to remove my hand."

She nodded her head in understanding.

"What are you doing here," she asked in a whisper, glancing toward the bathroom door.

"I came to thank Lucius for alerting the Dark Lord to our…activities in the library."

Her forehead scrunched up.

"Why did he do that?"

Severus looked at her with a bit of amusement on his face.

"You mean there is something Hermione Granger does not know?"

If looks could kill, Hermione would have caused Snape to drop dead. She pulled herself up with her one hand and looked at him.

"Are you referring to the crush he had when he was seventeen?"

Severus chuckled ever so quietly. They both looked toward the bathroom door. They could hear the water still running from the shower.

"Crush, Miss Granger? A few years back, over quite a lot of firewhiskey, a very sauced Lucius Malfoy made quite the confession." Hermione nodded her head for him to continue. "He admitted he loved his wife, Narcissa, but he could never love her as he loved Hermione Dagworth-Granger…he feared finding you and wished for it in the same breath. Imagine my surprise the following evening when you, Potter and his little friends were responsible for his capture at the Department of Mysteries. I had already figured out you were the same girl, but maturity had yet effected your features. I think it is possible that Lucius saw a hint of who you were in the ministry that night and that is where he failed his mission."

The water cut off and both Hermione and Severus grew silent. She turned quickly toward him.

"You can get into my cabin?" He nodded his head yes. "Go to it. Up the stairs in the loft there is a box sitting before the mirror….bring me the book that is sitting just inside. I need it."

She spoke quickly. With a curt nod, Severus left through the French doors and flew off on a broom as hasty and quiet as any spy could. Hermione's head turned toward the bathroom door when it opened. Lucius walked out in his pajama bottoms eyeing Hermione curiously. When he went into the bathroom, she was laying down. She started to lay back down mumbling something about a dream.

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In his dream, he was seventeen again and she came to him with a nightmare. He enveloped her in his arms until she drifted to sleep. It felt normal…like home. Her image lay in his arms and slowly, she faded away. As soon as she was gone from view, Lucius woke up. He looked over at Hermione lying next to him. This was the reality—she was a prisoner per Voldemort's orders, he was old enough to be her father, he was a Death Eater, he was the epitome of everything she stood against…it didn't matter how he felt…how he wanted to protect her…set her apart from all the others…it just didn't matter. His life was full of lies…deceit…darkness.

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He stood in the darkness of Lucius' room staring down at them.

_How quaint._

They were sound asleep, so he slipped the book on the bedside table. His attention turned back to Lucius asleep with her. Observing their positioning he couldn't help but entertain how much displeasure this could bring Lucius. Lucius lay on his back…his chest bare, as he never did sleep in a shirt. Hermione, wearing nothing more than a white button up of Lucius' lay partially on Lucius…her arm was draped over his form with her hand coming to a rest where his shoulder and neck came together…her face snuggled up against the other side of his neck. The arm she lay on wrapped around her body as if he were holding her close. Severus felt the sneer forming.

Then his eyes landed solely on Hermione. At some point in their sleep, someone had kicked the covers off, as they were no longer under the covers. Severus' eyes caressed every portion of her body as she lay there…unaware. Very slowly and quietly, Severus held out his hand. Barely touching her, he ran the tip of his fingers down her leg. When he removed his hand, Hermione shifted, snuggling closer to Lucius…sound asleep. With an evil smirk, Severus began moving his hand back toward her.

Severus never saw it coming.

Before his hand could reach her again, he found Lucius' wand pointed right between the eyes. Lucius had not moved one muscle beyond the hand holding his wand. Eyes open, narrowed on Severus with a look of disgust.

"Touch her Severus and it will be the last."

Severus swallowed. Even Lucius' whispers could sound venomous. Severus pulled his hand back, holding both hands up in the air as if showing Lucius that he was unarmed…and not touching Hermione. He watched Lucius slowly remove himself from Hermione and stand up.

"Why Lucius you seemed quite comfortable considering how _inferior_ you claim Miss Granger to be."

Lucius took a step closer to Severus, his wand trained on him.

"Leave. Now."

The tone of Lucius' voice left no room for argument. With a self-satisfied smirk, Severus disappeared through the French doors.

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When Hermione woke up, Lucius was looking out the French doors deep in thought. He heard her move and looked toward her. With a flick of his wand, her tray of food moved across the room and across her lap.

"I must leave you for just a bit."

Hermione watched him as he made strange wand movements around the balcony before walking back through the doors. She swallowed her pumpkin juice.

"I thought Voldemort's instructions were for me not to be left alone."

Lucius was silent for a moment, watching the girl eat occasionally looking up at him as if to say 'got you.' Taking a couple steps closer, he looked down his nose at her.

"You won't escape."

Her eyes left his face, noticing the book on her bedside table. Severus had been there in the night? She looked back up at him.

"You're right. I won't."

As she ate, she watched him gather his clothing and enter the bathroom. He did not come out until she was done eating her breakfast and had set the tray on the side table on top of the book. When he stepped out, he was in his usual attire with his hair pulled back in a black ribbon.

"You're going to see him aren't you? Voldemort?"

Her voice seemed small. Anger rose up in Lucius' chest constricting his very breath. How dare she assume that was where he was going. He stepped over to the bed, towering over her.

"That is none of your concern, Miss Granger."

His voice was a hiss of venom. She cringed ever so slightly at the sound. He was leaning down as if to look into her eyes and read her very thoughts. She didn't flinch…holding his gaze. She reached out a hand. He felt the soft caress of her fingers tracing the barely visible scar down his hairline and a portion of his jaw.

"Pride and perfection…he cannot give you that. What happened to the Lucius I met in the past?"

His anger flared. Leaning down into her face, he hissed.

"That Lucius was nothing more than the delusions of a Mudblood passing herself off as something better than she was."

The sound echoed in the room…the sound of her hand across his cheek. Hermione was beyond reason…not thinking of what Lucius would do to someone who would deign to slap him, not once, but twice as she pulled her hand back to do it again. With the burning sensation on his cheek, he still saw her hand fly back to slap him again. As her hand flew toward his face, she felt his hand reach out and grab a hold of her by the wrist, tightly. Pushing her back, pinning her good hand to the bed he leered over her sneering. He saw the fright in her eyes and cast it off. Leaning down toward her ear, she felt the pressure of his body on top of hers. His breath tickled her neck as he spoke.

"My…my…Miss Granger. Such vile actions from someone so…"

He paused looking down at her body before leaning in toward her ear again.

"…weak and helpless at the moment."

Lucius pulled back just enough to see her eyes…full of fire as he remembered them. He felt her quick breath underneath him. His anger started to waver and fade though he would never make her aware of that fact. Abruptly, he pushed himself off Hermione and swept out the door.

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Lucius walked into the Headmistresses office with his nose in the air and his serpent cane in hand. All eyes looked to him. He looked the poster child for control. His eyes roamed the room looking at its occupants. Remus stepped forward handing Lucius a school bag…Hermione's school bag. Lucius took the bag with a curt nod, slinging it over his shoulder. Then Remus handed him a scroll of parchment.

"All her assignments for the next few weeks are on there," Remus explained. "I believe that will do her until we see what Harry does."

Lucius looked around the room to observe everyone once again as he asked the room at large, "and is Potter's…motivation improving any?"

"Yes, yes it is," McGonagall answered. "We are keeping a close watch on him to ensure he doesn't try to rescue the girl. Tonks is with him now searching the Room of Requirement for the cup."

Lucius nodded his head. Looking around the room, he noticed Severus' usual presence at these little meetings absent.

"And where is Severus?"

He didn't look anyone in they eye. Instead, he surveyed the portraits while he awaited a response. His eyes fell on the portrait of Dumbledore. The old Headmaster smiled at Lucius as if they shared a secret. Lucius sneered at the portrait as if daring it to try to say anything.

"I believe he was going to check in on Hermione," Remus answered.

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Hermione sat up in bed reading the journal. She had been reading it all day…the details in it were riveting. It held details of events and happenings at Hogwarts and with the development of the Order of the Phoenix. She founds sections Dumbledore wrote in reference to her and Lucius.

Glancing at the French doors, she noticed something in the distance growing closer. It was someone on a broom…it was Severus Snape. She watched as he flew over the grounds toward the balcony.

He never made it.

It was as if an invisible wall stood around the balcony and Severus flew right into it.

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Lucius was walking toward the manor when Severus fell from the sky to his right. The thud of his body made Lucius smile as he turned and nodded toward Severus. He didn't say anything to the fallen Death Eater. Walking in the manor, he headed straight up the stairs to his room. He found Hermione sitting with a book in front of her and a look of worry on her face. The slight smirk on Lucius' face told her who was responsible.

"Is Severus okay," she asked concerned.

"Yes. Some lessons must be learned the hard way."

He deposited her schoolbag next to the bed and handed her a scroll of parchment. She held the parchment and just watched him disappear into the bathroom. Unrolling the parchment, she saw her assignments. She couldn't understand how or why he would bring her this. Sighing, she glanced down at the journal to finish reading the section she was on.

_It was a week after Miss Granger left that he entered my office with renewed faith. Mister Malfoy claims to have seen his future through Miss Granger and he now knows what he must do to ensure that future…_

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The water fell from the showerhead, beating down on Lucius. It was soothing and relaxing, but did not stop the thoughts. He wondered if Remus and McGonagall's little plan was going to work truthfully. How long before Harry gave them the slip and went after Hermione?

How long before the dark lord would require her presence?

Shutting the water off, he stepped out of the shower wrapping a towel around himself. Looking around the bathroom, he rolled his eyes at his own absentmindedness. He didn't grab his clothes before going into the bathroom. With a sigh of agitation, he stepped out of the bathroom.

Hermione still sat on the bed, staring at the passage she had just read. A look of incomprehensible confusion on her face. She looked up when he stepped out of the bathroom. He was still wet, dripping water from his hair, dripping from her body as it slid down his chest and arms. Nothing but a towel on, but still she seemed not quite there. The look on her face stopped Lucius in his tracks. His eyes locked with hers. She was giving him the oddest look…not anger or happiness, just confusion it seemed.

"Why didn't you ever tell me," she asked.

An eyebrow quirked he looked down at the journal.

"Tell you what?"

She looked down at the journal again and then back up into his eyes across the room. Her voice was that of a whispered secret.

"That you were the first spy."


	26. Traitor

Disclaimer: Not mine

A/N: Please oh please review and tell me what you think. Okay…for all those who wanted my next fic to be a LM/HG, I am sorry to say I just don't have one in my head, but I do have a Severus one so I will be posting the prologue at the same time I post this. The story is called Dark Angel (for now anyway). Okay….someone complained that my A/N wasn't interesting last time so I will share a story. Last year I went on a fieldtrip with my then fourth grade son's class to the zoo. It was about an hour and a half ride on chartered buses. Not bad. It went all fine and dandy except my son and his two best friends were in a group together, that I was to watch and they kept trying to run in three different directions. I informed them I would make them hold hands if they didn't stop…they stopped. On the bus on the way home, my son is sitting with his friend in the seat in front of me and the teacher had placed E.T. in the video player. I'm reading…the kids are watching the movie. Then out of the friggin blue, my son's friends turns around, looks right at me and asks "what's porn?" All I could do was blink. It took a few moments for my brain to start working again. When it did the laughter came. All I could think was 'this is not my kid, I am not enlightening him' so I ended up telling him that was something he needed to discuss with his own mother. How did this kid go from E.T. to porn I'll never know!

Okay…enough chit chat….read and review.

**Chapter 26**

_Traitor_

_I would die for you  
I would kill for you  
I will steal for you  
end all time for you  
I will wait for you  
I'd make room for you  
I'd sail ships for you  
To be close to you  
To be a part of you  
'Cause I believe in you  
I believe in you  
I would die for you_

_--Garbage_

_She knows._

It took a moment for that simple fact to sink in. When it did, walls of defense shot up all around Lucius. Let no one in.

"I did not tell you because it is not your business."

Hermione watched in indignation as Lucius walked across the room to his clothes as if nothing had changed.

"Not my business? Am I a prisoner of Voldemort's or not?"

At the wardrobe, Lucius turned around.

"Yes, you are." He nodded his head. "You are also a prisoner of the Order."

Her mouth opened and closed.

"A prisoner of the Order," she shrieked. "Are you daft? I am on their side!"

Lucius rolled his eyes, stepping away from the wardrobe toward the bed.

"Yes, you are. However, my task of kidnapping you presented the Order with just the situation needed to motivate Potter into searching for the remaining horcruxes. Well…that and a very well placed conversation between other Order members and the boy."

Worry creased her forehead.

"He's looking for the horcruxes? He needs me to figure out how to destroy each one…"

Lucius sneered down at her.

"You may use the library here and I will pass on the information without the knowledge that it came from you."

Hermione sat there shaking her head.

"No, this makes no sense. If you were the first spy and you still are a spy then why would you give Ginny Tom Riddle's diary like that?"

With a smirk, he looked down at her.

"It was a means to an end, Miss Granger. As my son explained once, we all have to make sacrifices why should Mr. Weasley be excluded?"

She looked into his face in absolute horror at what he had said. A means to an end? Still she shook her head.

"No, you are not a spy." She held up the journal. "This is a lie. You are vile and hateful to anyone not pureblooded!"

He sat down on the bed in front of her. Leaning toward her, he looked her straight in the eye.

"Just because I am a member of the Order does not mean I prize Mudbloods like that crazy old fool did…it does not mean I do not find Purebloods to be superior to all others. It was a matter of choosing sides and I chose the winning side."

Hermione became very aware of how close he was and how undressed he was. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she shook her head again. He could still see the denial in her eyes. He knew what was going through her head. She was having trouble dealing with the fact that she never saw the smallest sign that he was a spy…not one.

"You would never have known I was a spy if it wasn't for that journal, Miss Granger. Not many knew and most certainly not my family…that is how good I am at what I do—my own child believed me to be a Death Eater through and through."

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Hermione's world was turned upside down. Lucius…a spy for the Order. It was so hard to fathom, yet she knew that Snape was not the only one. There had been others. Now she knew. Still, he held the belief that she was beneath him though. Her best friend in his past hated her no matter what side he was on. Life was just never simple. She tossed and turned.

She found it hard to make sense out of it. What Severus said…what the pictures showed…what she remembered. It did not add up to his continued hate of her. The Lucius she knew then did exist she knew he did. She tossed and turned through most of the night. Her thoughts would not rest. They would not let up. Once again, Hermione turned her back to Lucius trying to find comfort and peace. She suddenly felt Lucius' hand caressing her hip as he wrapped his arm around her. She was suddenly pulled tightly against him. He appeared to be snuggling up to her. Hermione felt her heart begin to pound at a magnificent rate. The sound of his sleepy voice in her ear reverberated through her entire body.

"Stop the incessant movement and go to sleep."

A chill ran through her body causing her to shiver. Behind her, nuzzling into her neck, Lucius smiled before drifting back off to sleep.

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Lucius watched her at the breakfast table. Hermione sat with a book propped up on a pumpkin juice jug, parchment next to her with a quill and inkbottle in reach. She ate slowly as she read occasionally stopping to jot something down on the parchment. Her eyes were always so bright when this would occur…something Lucius noticed when he was seventeen.

Chewing on a bite, she wrote something down on the parchment. As she wrote, her eyes traveled up to Lucius.

"I've noticed it you know."

Putting her quill down, she took a swallow of juice waiting for Lucius to respond. She had no doubt that he would.

"Noticed what may I ask?"

She turned her head to look fully on Lucius. Her eyes raked over his body before coming back to his eyes.

"Vestiges of the Lucius I knew."

Taking a deep sigh, Lucius wiped his mouth with his napkin and placed it in his plate.

"You are referencing a Lucius you only believed to exist. He does not exist."

He went to stand up, but Hermione reached out quickly grabbing his arm. He remained seated and Hermione let go.

"Then what was it when I lost my memory? You were more like the Lucius I knew then."

"Miss Granger, when you lost your memory you regained portions at a time. When you were a guest here, you regained only the past relationship we had…my past. I did nothing more than indulge you until your memory returned fully. That is it."

"Indulge me?"

Lucius looked at her and simply nodded.

"Yes, Miss Granger. Indulge you. That was my second mistake."

"Second," she asked staring at him in disbelief. His face was impassive as he spoke—showing nothing, giving no hint as to what he was truly feeling.

"Yes, my second. My first you see in those pictures you delight in bringing up." He watched for her reaction. She motioned for him to continue. "Against my better judgment, I held obvious feelings for you. That was then…now I know better."

Her mouth opened and closed.

"Against your better judgment?"

"Yes," he smirked. "And we see my instincts were correct in the area considering you were not who you presented yourself to be."

Anger and hurt was overwhelming Hermione as she sat there listening to this man. With her one good hand, she pushed herself back from the table and stood up. She didn't exactly forget about her ankle, she just wanted out of there. She began to walk away, but the moment she put her weight on the foot with the bad ankle she collapsed to the ground. That is when the tears came.

Lucius sat there watching her fall to the ground and begin crying. Her tears were angry as she hit her fist on the floor.

"I can't even storm from a room properly."

The frustration of her position was in her every word. Lucius stood from his chair and walked over to Hermione. Bending down to help her up she put her hand up to stop him.

"No," she hissed at him. "I wouldn't want you to do anything that is against your better judgment."

Standing up straight, he watched her struggled to get back up and then hop out of the room.

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The days passed in an unbearable silence between Lucius and Hermione. She refused to speak to him. She kept to herself, doing schoolwork or researching each horcrux. Words were not exchanged when Harry found one horcrux and Hermione found how to destroy it. She simply handed Lucius the parchment in hopes he was honest about being a spy.

Hermione sat in the library working on an essay for DADA when Lucius stepped in. Standing in the doorway, he just watched her movements as if memorizing everything he could about her in that moment.

"Miss Granger, it is time to remove the bandages."

She looked up from her work wide-eyed and anxious. Nodding her head in acquiescence, she put her quill down. Lucius approached her slowly and turned her chair around so that he could face her. His eyes locked on hers. Slowly, he lowered himself in front of her only tearing his eyes away when he gently took hold of her foot to examine the ankle. She watched him, marveling at how gentle he could be. Closing her eyes, she tried to tell herself it was simply her imagination. He had made that clear. Once the ankle was unwrapped, he sat her foot gently back on the floor.

"Try to stand."

She stood with no problem. Her smile grew as she discovered it caused no pain and that meant no more hopping around. Standing in front of her, Lucius reached out for her hand. Lifting it up, he looked over her wrist before removing those bandages. Free of the bandage, Lucius looked at her wrist. His fingers gentled caressed the underside sending chills through Hermione. When she shuddered Lucius' eyes looked up into hers. They were frozen like that—with her hand in his, his fingers caressing the underside of her wrist, staring at each other when the sound of someone clearing their throat was heard from the doorway. As if snapping to reality, they both looked up to find Severus leaning in the door with a smirk.

"We have a problem Lucius."

Dropping her hand Lucius turned toward Severus and motioned for him to enter.

"And what would that be?"

Severus looked to Hermione and then back to Lucius as if deciding whether to talk about it in front of her or not.

"The Dark Lord wants you to bring Hermione to him…he wants to see her."

Hermione felt a wave of nausea crash over her. See the Dark Lord? She had never seen him. Why now? Her heart started pounding excessively and her breath started to come in quick short intervals. Her mind raced for a solution.

"What? H-Have you spoken with Headmistress McGonagall? What does she say to do?"

Both sets of eyes turned to her, curiously. Severus looked her up and down before cocking his head to the side slightly as if trying to read her.

"Miss Granger, why would I run off to discuss this matter with the Headmistress," Severus asked.

Hermione suddenly felt unsure of herself, as if there were something missing from her knowledge, something she didn't know. Her eyes darted between the two.

"B-Because she is the head of the Order."

Severus' laughter startled Hermione.

"Good heavens, Miss Granger. Professor McGonagall panicked at the mere idea of actually being the headmistress—the idea of running the school. Do you think she could be head of such an organization as the Order of the Phoenix?"

Her eyes darted between the two of them again. Severus continued to chuckle rather amused, but Lucius…Lucius remained silent.

"Then…then who took over Dumbledore's place?"

Her voice quavered as if afraid to ask the question. No, she was not afraid to ask the question; she was afraid of the answer. Severus' laughter stopped. He looked toward Lucius as if shocked that Hermione did not know. Turning back to Hermione, he smirked.

"It is always wise to blind your enemy to the true identity of your leader."

Hermione kept her eyes on him waiting for a real answer. Clearing his throat, he stepped closer.

"Lucius was always Dumbledore's second in command, despite Lucius'…_desires_ to be head of the whole thing. He took Dumbledore's place." Severus turned his head back to Lucius. "Now what do we do?"

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Hermione was frightened, that much Lucius knew. He could feel her body shaking next to his. They stood outside the manor preparing to apparate. Severus went first. Looking down at her, the moon shone down illuminating her. She was pale and sickly looking. It was understandable. She was about to face the devil himself. Wrapping an arm around her waist, Lucius pulled her up against him. He didn't apparate right away. Instead, he looked down at her, brushing a bit of hair out of her face. He said nothing, but Hermione could feel the words he left unsaid. With that in mind, they apparated.

Fear gripped her heart tighter when they apparated straight into an old partially burnt church. Half the roof was gone; the walls that were not burnt were blood red and covered in a thin layer of soot. Lucius turned her around, roughly and she found herself in the center aisle. Death Eater surrounded her in the seats and straight ahead, up at the altar stood Voldemort. His eyes glimmered with a morbid anticipation.

"Welcome, Lucius," he hissed. "Please, bring our friend forward."

Grabbing her by the arm he drug her forward, down the aisle and tossed her up at the altar where she fell at Voldemort's feet. Lucius stepped back and bowed in respect. Something didn't feel right to him and it made him a bit edgy. As he stood back up he saw two Death Eater come from the sides, grab Hermione, magically bound her hands in front of her, and placed her on her knees on the altar table facing the rest of the church.

Lucius tried to ignore the look on her face, but found it difficult. There she was on an altar table like some sacrifice, bound, facing the church with tears streaming down her cheeks…tears that were beyond her control. Her eyes looked down as if ashamed at her emotional display. Voldemort stood behind her, making Lucius nervous…though he would never show it.

"Lucius," Voldemort hissed. "Wormtail has a handy little skill as you know."

"Yes my lord," Lucius responded.

"You really should check for rodents around that manor of yours." The smile on Voldemort's face was not one of pleasure…it was morbid, powerful, anxious. He noticed a Death Eater come forward and stand next to the altar table and two Death Eaters rise up and stand on either side of him, but a step behind. He watched in horror as the Death Eater slowly raised his wand and held it to the side of Hermione's head. Voldemort's smile grew. Severus was thrown to the ground next to the altar. Lucius noticed that Severus was bound. Lucius felt his heart pounding as he felt the wand on the back of his head, waiting to strike. Lucius looked up to Voldemort.

"My lord," he asked.

Voldemort's smile became more menacing and demented.

"Such innocence," he hissed as he caressed his cold dead like hands across Hermione's cheek. "Wormtail returned with such memories for my pensieve. It was almost hard to believe. I asked you to prove your loyalty and kidnap the girl. You proved your loyalty _then_. Now, before you I have a traitor," Voldemort pointed to Severus. "And your _favorite _little Mudblood."

Lucius felt his wand hand twitch.

"Now, comes the test Lucius…Severus needs to be punished for his betrayal and you can do that…_you_ can kill him Lucius and _save her_. It's your choice, Lucius."

Lucius felt the Death Eater's wand jab him in the back of the head as if reminding him of the precarious predicament he was entering.

"Will you kill for her Lucius? Or will you die for her?"


	27. Sacrafice

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Okay…please oh please review. There is one more chapter left…I won't be getting into detail with the war. Its just not necessary for this story. Just wanted to warn you. Also a reminder for this chapter. Earlier in the story it was mentioned that the cabins are outside the wards around Hogwarts so muggle electronics work, just a reminder. Okay…please review and let me know what you think and don't forget to check out Dark Angel.

**Chapter 27**

_Sacrifice_

_Memories are just where you laid them   
Dragging the waters til the depths give up their dead  
What did you expect to find?  
Was it something you left behind?  
Don't you remember anything I said when I said,  
Don't fall away and leave me to myself  
Don't fall away and leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands again  
And leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands  
Love lies bleeding_

_--Fuel_

Harry sat on his bed in the boys' dormitory watching the Marauder's Map. Leaning over he pushed Ron to wake him.

"Ron, get up and come here."

Ron grunted and rolled over. Finally, Harry gave him a great shove off his bed. That woke him. Ron looked livid however until Harry held up the map and motioned him over to his bed. Ron sat down next to Harry and looked at the map.

"What am I looking at mate?"

Harry pointed at the Headmistresses office. In the Headmistresses office was McGonagall of course, Tonks, Kingsley, and in the corridors heading from the front doors toward the office were Moody and Remus. Harry and Ron looked at each other. They both nodded as if answering an unasked question. Harry hopped off his bed, threw open his trunk and grabbed his invisibility cloak. Ron threw open his trunk and grabbed the extendible ears.

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Outside McGonagall's office, Harry checked the map again…they were all in the office. Ron handed Harry a pair of the extendible ears. Placing one end in their ear they waited as the other end snaked up the stairs toward the door. Slowly the voices began to emit from the earpiece.

"So not only does Voldemort have one of our best spies, but two of them—one being the head of the Order. Severus left the details of the location they were to bring Hermione."

Remus' voice was clear as a bell. Harry and Ron looked at each other curiously.

"I thought McGonagall was the head now," Ron whispered. Harry shrugged his shoulders and they continued to listen.

"We are going. Lucius told us to just stand watch and only come in if it looks dangerous for Hermione's safety."

Harry and Ron looked at each other in a combination of curiosity and shock.

"Where are they," someone asked.

"An old burnt out church outside of Hogsmeade."

"Let's go."

The sound of shuffling feet alerted Harry and Ron to the soon to be oncoming traffic. Quickly collecting the extendible ears, they ducked behind a statue and waited for them all to pass. Harry pointed toward them and Ron knew what he was saying. He wanted to follow them. Ron nodded his head.

When they stepped out the door of Hogwarts, they heard the familiar cracks of several people disapparating outside the gates. The boys ran for it.

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Harry and Ron hid in some bushes and watched the various members of the order disperse themselves around the church where they could not be seen, but they could see what was happening. Harry and Ron were in a perfect position to see what was going on. Hermione was on an altar table, on her knees, bound, with a wand held to her temple. Severus was bound also next to the table and Lucius stood in the middle aisle with a wand pointing at the back of his head. Harry moved to go forward, but Ron grabbed his arm.

"No, Harry."

Harry looked from Ron to Hermione and back again.

"This is my chance…"

Ron was shaking his head no.

"No, mate. It is not. You have one more horcrux to find and destroy before you can even think about facing you-know-who. The Order is going to get Hermione…you'll see."

Harry, looking unsure stayed back with Ron watching. Voldemort was speaking and from what they gathered, Voldemort knew Severus was a spy.

"Will you kill for her Lucius? Or will you die for her?"

Harry and Ron both looked at each other mouths open frozen in shock…a shock that would only increase as the events progressed.

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Hermione had never been this afraid in all her life…never. Her heart pounded as she awaited Lucius' response…he was Lucius Malfoy for Merlin's sake. The answer couldn't be good. She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't stop the tears that slid silently down her cheeks.

Lucius looked at her on the altar. She was so pale…like the first time he met her when he was seventeen. He had to choose. He could refuse to kill Severus and offer himself up, but once he was dead, they would kill Hermione anyway. He could agree and kill Severus, but then they would kill Hermione anyway. The Dark Lord did not often keep his word…exactly. His eyes bore into Hermione's. He found her once as a teenage boy and then lived a lifetime without her, could he do that again? What was always left unsaid between them seemed to bounce between them in waves of invisible electricity. Eyes still staring into hers, Lucius slowly lowered himself to his knees. Not taking his eyes off hers, he spoke to Voldemort.

"Die…I will die for her."

Hermione closed her eyes, mouthing the word 'no.' Lucius bowed his head in defeat. It was while his head was bowed that he noticed the movement. The Order was indeed present and about to move in. Lucius' head snapped up and looked toward Severus. Severus looked more alert and attentive…he had noticed also. Their eyes met and Severus very discreetly jumped into Lucius mind reading his very thoughts. Lucius knew what he was doing…bringing forth his idea. Severus nodded.

There was a commotion to the left and right of the church…the members of the Order were storming into the church eliminating Death Eaters on their way. As the Death Eater's and Voldemort's attention turned toward those attacking them Lucius nodded. His wand, still in hand shot out. He said nothing, not one word, but deep in the recesses of his mind, he called out 'accio Hermione.' As Lucius' mind yelled for Hermione, Severus raised his hands, wrists bound together and without a word or a wand an invisible protective bubble formed around Hermione. Death Eaters who noticed gasped in surprise as Hermione shot off the altar and down the middle aisle straight into Lucius' open arms. The second his arms wrapped protectively, possessively around her, he apparated as did Severus.

In the bushes, Harry and Ron sat dumbfounded before apparating back to Hogwarts with the rest of the apparating Order members.

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With a crack, Lucius appeared followed by Severus. McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley rushed forward. They were all standing outside Malfoy Manor. Lucius still held Hermione in his arms. Noticing their bindings, McGonagall quickly undid the incantation on Severus and Hermione. Once her wrists were free, Hermione wrapped her arms tighter around Lucius as if he was a life jacket and she was drowning. His hand gently rubbed her back in a soothing manner. McGonagall looked at them with a slightly crinkled forehead.

"Lucius we must put the fidelius charm back on the house…quickly."

He nodded in acceptance of this and nodded toward Severus.

"Severus will be the Secret Keeper."

Together McGonagall and Severus began the spell. Mrs. Weasley had rushed to Lucius' side trying to get a good look at Hermione. Mrs. Weasley accepted the fact that Hermione simply was not going to let go of Lucius. She nodded her head and looked at Lucius.

"Get her cleaned up and relaxed when you get her inside. Some food too."

Lucius gave Mrs. Weasley a very rare smile that seemed contagious as she smiled in return. With the charm in place, McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley left. Lucius carried Hermione into the manor with Severus following his path. In the manor, Severus headed straight for the room he always stayed in, not saying a word to Lucius. Lucius took Hermione straight to his room where he took her into the bathroom, sitting her down. Leaning over the tub, he turned several faucets. Various colors of water poured out of the showerhead creating a shower of aromatherapy. Hermione could smell the lavender fill the air.

"Just…relax and take a shower. You are safe now."

He stepped out leaving Hermione in the bathroom to wash away her anguish and terror. He walked over to his bed and sat on the end once again. And once again he sat leaning over with his head in his hands. His head was pounding with more emotions than what he knew to exist.

Lucius knew he loved her; he had known that since he was seventeen. But tonight…watching her kneeling on that altar table like some faceless sacrifice was unbearable. He would have given up all the power he held to keep her safe. It was when he knelt down to accept his own death that the realization of what it meant to love her hit him. He would sacrifice himself for her in the blink of an eye.

He almost lost her permanently that night. He laid himself down for the sacrifice, but that did not mean Voldemort would have taken it and spared her. Just as easily as he could have killed Lucius then Hermione, he could have killed Hermione and refused to end Lucius' torment. The thought of her death, of life without her, gripped his heart…tearing at it one tiny piece at a time.

He heard the shower cut off and snapped his head up looking at the bathroom door. Lucius didn't stop to think whether she would welcome it or not. He had to do it…the feeling was overwhelming and empowering. He stood and in three quick strides, he was opening the bathroom door.

Hermione had just stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around her. Her hair lay against her body in wet waves and the water dripped down her body. Lucius barely registered the shocked expression on her face when he burst through the door. He didn't pause to ask permission or wait for a response to his sudden entrance. Instead, he rushed right for her. Running his hands up her neck, through her hair, he pulled her straight to his lips.

Hermione felt a wave of shock crash through her body as his lips crashed into hers. Every ounce of Lucius pent up passion seemed to come out in that one kiss. Lucius felt it all flooding through him and out of him, yet it only seemed to grow. Taking deep breaths, he leaned his forehead against Hermione's and closed his eyes.

"I was so scared," he whispered.

Hermione opened her eyes at his admission. That simple sentence was as if he was offering her his soul. Then there was the glue that sealed it…she saw a tear slowly escape his closed eyes and glide down his cheek. It looked so out of place. Hermione reached out, gently wiping the tear away. Caressing his cheek, she gently pressed her lips to his.

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They were at the breakfast table. Hermione was sitting in his lap, facing him. Her hands were resting gently on his chest and his were wrapped up in her hair kissing her lips…her neck…her lips…

"How quaint."

The sarcasm could be heard loud and clear in Severus' voice as he entered the room. Lucius pulled away from Hermione and looked at Severus like the nuisance he was at that moment.

"What is it Severus?"

Severus looked between the two.

"It's starting. The last horcrux has been found. Potter is now aware of Miss Granger's whereabouts and everyone is waiting for her to return to her cabin where it's safest and where she is needed before it is destroyed. Once it is destroyed, it begins. There will be no turning back. It won't end until Potter or the Dark Lord is dead."

For a moment, Hermione thought she just entered a nightmare, but then the thought occurred: it will only get worse. She felt Lucius' arms around her waist tighten, whether he was aware of it or not. She turned to look at him and he nodded.

"Let's get you to the cabin."

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Hermione stood inside the cabin. The computers were set up so her, Harry, and Ron were able to communicate while separated. Her heart pounded heavily. She would be alone most of the time in the cabin. She shook her head and turned back to Severus and Lucius.

"You're just going to leave me here?" She looked at Lucius. "Will you be back?"

Silence hung in the air. Severus watched the interaction knowing very well what was going through Lucius' mind.

"I will be back as needed to fight this war," Lucius stated. Hermione's eyes remained on his waiting for a true answer. "This is where _we_ end, Hermione."

Her eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"What?"

Lucius stepped toward her. Even Severus could see the pain in his eyes.

"My feelings for you are what put you in danger once with the Dark Lord. How much danger do you think you would be in if an actually relationship was glimpsed?"

Hermione looked away so he wouldn't see the tears. She nodded in understanding. He was sacrificing her for her own safety. It didn't make it hurt any less. Suddenly she was grabbed by the shoulders.

"Understand me," Lucius said passionately. "I have wanted you since I was seventeen. The day this war ends…the day the last Death Eater is caught and sentenced away from us so that some semblance of a normal life may be achieved, I will get down on my knees and ask you to marry me. I wanted to when you were in the past, but now…right now we can never be."

He leaned down and kissed her gently on her lips before walking out the door.

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Hermione was sitting in the cabin listening to the Wizarding Wireless when the true war started. The minute Voldemort began publicly attacking it came across alerting people to the whereabouts the war was being fought and warning wizards and witches not fighting to evacuate. Hermione sitting in her cabin waited for the word…waited for her call…waiting for the Golden Trio's time to come forth…waiting to stand by Harry's side and watch Voldemort fall before them.

Her future depended on it.


	28. Legend

Disclaimer: not mine.

A/N: well this is the final chapter…sorry it is short, but it doesn't need to be long. I hope you all enjoyed it and I will be back with a Lucius/Hermione story as soon as I come up with one. In the mean time you can read my Severus/Hermione one I'm working on. Thanks to everyone who reviewed….and on with the final chapter.

One more thing: Emma, I am reposting this due to your review and questions. Our of curiosity why do you ask questions in a final review and leave no way to respond? Anyway...the reason for the seven year wait is in these last two chapters...In case you do not want to re-read it: Lucius told Hermione they would not be able to be together until the last Death Eater was found--five years after the war this happened (the war lasted 7). And as for the no-contact in those years...no nothing truly romantic in the sense that it was worth putting in. This is the ending I had planned throughout writing it. I never planned going into details of the war--this is about Lucius and Hermione not Harry and Voldemort. Sorry you were disappointed, but next time please leave a way for me to answer your questions. Does no good to ask otherwise.

**Chapter 28**

_Legend_

_This time, This place  
Misused, Mistakes  
Too long, Too late  
Who was I to make you wait  
Just one chance  
Just one breath  
Just in case there's just one left  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know _

That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
and you'll never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore

On my knees, I'll ask  
Last chance for one last dance  
'Cause with you, I'd withstand  
All of hell to hold your hand  
I'd give it all  
I'd give for us  
Give anything but I won't give up

_--Nickelback_

Hermione would never forget the day Voldemort fell…to his death. The war was a long and hard one, but the light prevailed in the end. The Golden Trio was officially named so by many newspapers and magazines across the wizarding world. It always made Hermione laugh. The newspapers loved quoting what Hermione was believed to have said at the last and final battle. They reported it every year on the anniversary of Voldemort's fall. The reports of it were all the same. Harry stood in the middle, flanked by his two best friends. Joining wands, the Darkest Lord the wizarding world had ever seen fell to his death at his feet only to take one last look at the one member of the Golden Trio that represented everything he preached against everything he hated. Hermione reportedly smirked at him in a way reminiscent of a Malfoy and stated, "a new age begins."

Hermione chuckled slightly as she read it in yet another anniversary report…five years later. She never could fathom how all these reporters placed those words in her mouth…they were not there in the thick of it. She smiled. Of course, it was true…she did say that in a cruel attempt to make sure Voldemort's last memory before his final death was of "the Mudblood" standing over him announcing his time was over. Cruel yes, but nonetheless deserved.

Sitting her coffee cup down, she opened the Daily Prophet to a section that had been dedicated to the war. The enter page was taken up with one article instead of several small ones. The Headline made her heart stop.

Final Death Eater in Azkaban

It had been five years since the war ended. The words spoken seven years ago echoed in her mind as if it were only yesterday.

"…_The day this war ends…the day the last Death Eater is caught and sentenced away from us so that some semblance of a normal life may be achieved, I will get down on my knees and ask you to marry me…"_

It was a day she had been waiting on, whishing for. Everyday she searched for word that the last Death Eater was found and locked away. After a couple years her hope for such an occurrence dwindled so that she never expected it to happen. She looked at the article….her heart pounding wildly. Standing up she sat her coffee cup in the sink and grabbed her cloak.

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She rushed through the corridors of Hogwarts. Her destination? The Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Students walking to class and hanging around the corridors looked at her and whispers began. They all knew who she was and where she was heading. She reached the door, watching a student enter. A quick glimpse told her he was not in the classroom yet. Stepping in quietly she took a seat in the very back of the classroom and waited.

Lucius swept into the classroom with the same aristocratic stance he always held, cane in hand. She noticed, as he passed by where she sat, his eyes shift and his hand twitch. He knew she was there. He stood in front of the classroom of second year Gryffindors and Slytherins and began his lecture…trying to ignore her presence. The students around her noticed her presence and began whispering to their neighbors and sending covert glances at her.

They knew who she was…the story of Lucius Malfoy and Hermione Granger had become legend. The girls giggled…their mothers would tell the story before bed…their very own "Cinderella" story of sorts. It was a story whose begins were debated, but only known truly by the very few. It was a story that held no true ending…no closure. Finally, Lucius asked the class a question and no one raised their hand. Silence rung in the classroom as Lucius looked over it. Then he noticed it…the hand in the very back of the classroom. His eyes fell on hers. Her hand in the air, body leaning slightly forward, fire dancing in her eyes. He remembered the last time he called on her when she was a student to answer a question.

"_Miss Granger, no one else seems to be raising their hands and Professor Lupin has informed me of your brilliance. Could you please explain the theory Miss Granger?"_

_Her eyes turned slowly to look him in the face. He felt a slight chill at how dead they looked in that moment. The whole class watched, knowing the history of hate between Hermione and father and son Malfoy. _

"_You're supposed to say 'could you please explain the theory, Mudblood."_

The class and every child in the wizarding world knew of that history and the history that followed. His eyes locked on hers he nodded.

"Could you please explain the theory Miss Granger?"

Everyone gasped turning to look at the famous Hermione Granger…the girl from the legends. She smiled shaking her head.

"You're supposed to say 'will you marry me, Miss Granger."

A smile graced his lips at the reminder and the way in which she went about it. His heart pounded as the class turned to him. Never had this class been so quiet. Lucius began walking down the aisle straight for where she sat and held out his hand. She took it and with his guidance, she stood up. The class watched as the Slytherin Head of House faced the previous Gryffindor. No hate existed between them. The class watched in silence as Lucius looked at Hermione, not down at her, but just looked at her. Slowly, Lucius dropped down on one knee, still holding her hand.

"Will you marry me, Miss Granger?"

"Yes," she whispered…silent tears spilling from her eyes.

The class began cheering and clapping. Their story was legend and that second year class of Gryffindors and Slytherins were witness to what the legend always needed but lacked…what girls fantasized about and boys theorized about.

Closure.


End file.
